In a world in which COVID-19 vaccinations hold the key to everything from public health to the economy and diplomacy, countries that produce the vaccines have a huge geoeconomic advantage, allowing them to use that power to push their agenda to other countries.
Interestingly, authoritarian countries, namely Russia and China, have resorted to vaccine diplomacy, prioritizing exporting vaccines over inoculating their own people. Democratic governments, meanwhile, have prioritized vaccination drives at home, and have faced accusations of vaccine nationalism.
Where does Japan stand in this global situation?