More companies across Japan are introducing arrangements designed to let their employees take paid time off to receive COVID-19 vaccines and deal with any potential side-effects.
The idea had been floated by Taro Kono, the minister in charge of Japan’s vaccine rollout. Kono originally voiced a willingness in March to seek the business community’s approval of the concept, and in his meeting last week with Tetsuro Tomita, vice president of Keidanren, Japan’s biggest business lobby, the minister reportedly doubled down on his calls for the implementation of paid vaccine leave.
Jabs are still unavailable for the bulk of the working population in Japan, with the rollout limited to health care workers and people over 65 years old for the time being.