Japan's Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide has received a COVID-19 vaccine ahead of his visit to the United States.

Arrangements are being made for Suga to meet US President Joe Biden early next month or later. He and each member of a Japanese delegation accompanying him will be vaccinated before their trip.

Suga received the first of two doses of the vaccine at the National Center for Global Health and Medicine in Tokyo's Shinjuku Ward on Tuesday morning.

He told reporters after the inoculation that it did not hurt much. He said he received the vaccine to take every precautionary effort available against the virus before his visit to the US next month.

He said COVID-19 vaccines are expected to have enormous benefits in preventing infections, as well as keeping patients from developing grave symptoms if infected. He said he hopes to deliver them to the Japanese public as soon as possible. He added that he will also work to provide people with the appropriate information, so they will be willing to be inoculated.

Source: ANNnewsCH