Society

First Moderna vaccine shipment arrives in Japan

Apr 30 (NHK) - The first shipment of the coronavirus vaccine developed by US biotechnology firm Moderna has arrived in Japan.

A plane carrying the vaccine vials in six refrigerated containers arrived at Kansai Airport in western Japan from Belgium on Friday.

The Japanese government is expecting several more deliveries of the vaccine next month. It is awaiting approval by the health ministry, and will be stored in a warehouse.

The government has signed a contract with Moderna for 50 million doses, or enough for 25 million people, to be supplied by September.

In March, Takeda Pharmaceutical, which will distribute the vaccine in Japan for Moderna, filed an application for authorization to use the vaccine.

The government wants to use Moderna's vaccine at vaccination sites it plans to open in Tokyo and Osaka.

Health minister Tamura Norihisa said that the ministry is working on the screening process for the vaccine, and the vaccination process could begin as soon as it is approved. He said all screening data should be available in May, so the vaccine could be approved at that time.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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