A proposal for the economic revitalization minister to double as vaccination chief is being floated, with Japan aiming to decide on a new appointment by the end of March, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The envisaged move to replace current vaccination minister Noriko Horiuchi comes as the government seeks to accelerate provision of COVID-19 booster shots in the face of criticism from opposition parties and the public that progress has been slow.
Daishiro Yamagiwa, in his capacity as economic revitalization minister, has been praised for his handling of implementation of quasi-state of emergency measures against the virus, including his interactions with heads of local governments and the way he has answered questions in parliament.