Japan Brings Back MMR Vaccine for Children

May 12, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Japan has approved the domestic manufacture and sale of an MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella with a single injection, paving the way for its use in children aged one and older.

The Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare approved the MMR vaccine "Mimlit" developed by Daiichi Sankyo, a combined three-disease vaccine intended for children over the age of one.

MMR vaccines had previously been introduced into Japan’s routine immunization program, but their use was halted in 1993 after a series of cases of aseptic meningitis were reported in connection with another product.

The newly approved vaccine is believed to carry an extremely low risk of causing aseptic meningitis, marking the return of MMR vaccinations in Japan for the first time in around 30 years.

Source: FNN

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