Society

Clinical study begins in Japan for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine

Jan 22 (Kyodo) - Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. said Thursday it has begun clinical trials in Japan of a COVID-19 vaccine candidate by U.S. biotech firm Moderna Inc. with an eye to distributing it in the first half of this year.

Takeda, which is undertaking clinical trials and distribution in Japan of the U.S. company's vaccine known as mRNA-1273, will target 200 adults in the study. The drugmaker is planning to provide 50 million doses, or enough for 25 million people after obtaining regulatory approval. Each person would need two doses of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Japan is struggling to cope with a resurgence in coronavirus cases, with the first vaccine rollout yet to begin. U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer Inc. has applied for Japanese government approval for its coronavirus vaccine and Britain's AstraZeneca Plc has begun a clinical study of its vaccine in Japan.

Source: ANNnewsCH

Shizuoka Tea Auction Opens New Season with Record Prices

The first auction of the season signaling the arrival of new tea was held on the morning of April 18th at the Shizuoka Tea Market in Shizuoka City, with the highest bid reaching 880,000 yen per kilogram, continuing the trend of high prices into 2025.

Ishiba Rules Out Linking Tariffs and Security in U.S. Trade Talks

Prime Minister Ishiba has clarified his stance on ongoing trade negotiations with the Trump administration, stating that security and trade are separate matters and that discussions on security should not be linked to tariffs.

Japanese Astronaut Onishi Becomes ISS Commander

Japanese astronaut Takuya Onishi has been appointed commander of the International Space Station (ISS), becoming the third Japanese to assume the role.

World’s Longest 150-Meter Rail Departs for Hokkaido on Freight Train

Transportation of a 150-meter railway rail—the longest in the world—manufactured at a steelworks in Kitakyushu City, began on April 18th. The rail will be delivered to Hokkaido over the course of about four days for use in the Hokkaido Shinkansen extension project.

Japan Obesity Society Warns Against Women's Desire To Be Thin

The Japan Society for the Study of Obesity has issued a warning about the health risks of excessive thinness and poor nutrition among women, positioning what it calls 'women's underweight and malnutrition syndrome' as a newly recognized health condition.

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