Coupons, hotel vouchers and even a brand new car: Municipalities across Japan are offering an array of incentives to encourage their residents to get jabbed.

While new COVID-19 infections in Japan have been hovering near their lowest levels in about a year, the fifth and the biggest wave of the pandemic this past summer continues to serve as a stark reminder of the need to prepare for a possible sixth wave of infections that could hit this autumn or winter. This past summer saw the highly infectious delta variant spread rampantly across Japan, spurring daily nationwide caseloads of nearly 26,000 and putting a heavy strain on the health care system.

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government will offer discount coupons and other goods starting next month to encourage people to get vaccinated, joining a chorus of local governments that are offering incentives to encourage younger people, in particular, to get a COVID-19 shot.