JAPAN PROVIDES TAIWAN WITH 1.24M COVID VACCINE DOSES

Japan has promised 1.24 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan in an effort to help the self-ruled island alleviate its struggles in procuring shots, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said Friday, reported Kyodo News.

The gratis vaccine doses, developed by AstraZeneca Plc of Britain and manufactured domestically through license production, will arrive in Taipei by air later Friday, he told a press conference.

The provision is based on our important partnership and friendship with Taiwan," Motegi said, referring to the aid Tokyo received from Taipei following a massive earthquake and tsunami that rocked northeastern Japan in 2011.

He said the offer was arranged on request from Taiwan, which has been grappling with a dramatic rise in coronavirus cases since May and has difficulties in securing COVID-19 vaccines.

Taiwan said China blocked purchase negotiations with BioNTech SE, Pfizer Inc.'s German coronavirus vaccine development partner, just as it was about to secure a vaccine deal with the company.

Even with its offer to Taiwan, Japan, which launched its inoculation program in February, will have enough shots for all of its residents aged 16 and older by using vaccines developed by U.S. pharmaceutical companies Pfizer and Moderna Inc.

Japan has secured enough AstraZeneca doses for 60 million people and approved the use of the vaccine last month. However, it does not intend to use it immediately due to rare cases of blood clots being reported overseas, according to the health ministry.

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