Society

Japan drugmaker Shionogi aims to launch coronavirus vaccine in 2021

May 09 (Kyodo) - Japanese pharmaceutical company Shionogi said Friday it aims to launch a vaccine for the novel coronavirus as early as fall next year, as it is preparing to begin clinical trials by the end of the year.

The drugmaker based in Osaka will consider producing the vaccine for 10 million people. It is rare for a pharmaceutical company to study production before the results of clinical trials come out but Shionogi is looking to bring the vaccine to market as early as possible.

The company will advance development jointly with its subsidiary UMN Pharma Inc. and the National Institute of Infectious Diseases.

The Japanese company said last week it will develop a recombinant protein vaccine for the virus that causes acute respiratory dysfunction, while also seeking to discover therapeutic drugs for the disease.

New Shinkansen Reservation Service Lets Users Book in One Minute

JR East has launched a preview version of its new online Shinkansen booking platform, JRE GO, promising reservations in as little as one minute and easier handling of sudden schedule changes.

Father Claimed Son Was Missing Before Disappearance

A 37-year-old father arrested over the alleged abandonment of his son's body in a forest in Kyoto Prefecture may have contacted associates to say the child had gone missing before the boy's school informed the family, investigators said.

Bear Found in Bushes in Central Sendai Finally Culled

A bear that had remained in a residential area in central Sendai since early Sunday morning was euthanized last night in an emergency cull. No injuries were reported.

Father Admits Killing and Body Abandonment in Kyoto

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Strong Typhoon Raises High Surf Risk for Pacific Areas of Japan This Weekend

A large and powerful Typhoon No. 4, internationally named Sinlaku, was located near the Mariana Islands and moving north-northeast as of the latest update. The storm is expected to gradually shift its course eastward and pass southeast of the Ogasawara Islands around April 18, before making its closest approach around April 19.

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