Japan has started making arrangements to allow adolescents between the ages of 12 and 15 to be vaccinated against COVID-19 amid a rising number of coronavirus infections among young people, the top government spokesman said.
At present, a vaccine developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech SE is the only authorized product in Japan, and it has so far only been administered to those 16 and older.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told reporters Tuesday that Pfizer has been in talks with the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency, a Japanese vaccine screening body, about expanding the use of its vaccine.