Widespread workplace vaccination starts in Japan
Employees of Canon Inc. receive COVID-19 vaccine shots at its headquarters in Ota Ward, Tokyo, on Monday morning. The Japan News/Asia News Network
TOKYO — Vaccination at workplaces fully started Monday, as COVID-19 vaccine shots were administered at up to 269 companies and universities, according to the government.
Applications have so far been made for 13.73 million people to get their shots at 3,479 venues in connection with workplaces and universities.
The aim of these programs is not only to boost the vaccination drive for all residents who want to be inoculated, but also to ease the burden on local governments.
At Canon Inc. headquarters in Ota Ward, Tokyo, nurses administered shots to employees in a hall set up for the vaccination program. On Monday, 500 employees were scheduled to receive the shots, with the number to be raised to 1,000 per day, according to the company.
“When more people are vaccinated, it will decrease the anxiety that infection might spread,” said a 51-year-old Canon employee after receiving a shot. “So I think people will feel more at ease at work.”
The central government is allowing workplace and university vaccination on the condition that the required two doses will be administered to over 1,000 people at each company or school.
While the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is being used at local government vaccination venues, the Moderna, Inc. vaccine is being used at workplaces and universities.
Some firms are not only inoculating employees’ family members, but also staff of companies they regularly deal with or residents near their offices.
In Katsushika Ward, Tokyo, at a conference room of the Ario Kameari shopping facility operated by Seven & i Holdings Co., about 1,800 employees of the commercial complex and nearby stores are set to be inoculated over a three-day period.
At the Tokyo Setagaya Campus of Nippon Sport Science University — one of at least 17 universities that planned to start vaccination programs the same day, according to the education ministry — students and faculty members received shots. The university also plans to inoculate about 270 people connected to the local shopping area.
Last week, airline companies were among the firms that started workplace vaccination through the early completion of necessary preparations.
Government officials also started receiving vaccine shots at a venue set up at the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Ministry in the Kasumigaseki district of Tokyo. Doctors working at ministry clinics are administering shots, with about 20,000 officials involved in border control measures and crisis management scheduled for inoculation.
Receiving his first shot on Monday morning was Taro Kono, minister in charge of administrative reform who is also responsible for the country’s vaccination drive.
“I hope people who find it more convenient to be vaccinated at their workplace or school will make good use of this framework,” Kono said.
The same day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato visited the Tokyo headquarters of Itochu Corp. to observe the company’s vaccination program.
“As more people get vaccinated at workplaces, it will be easier for other people to receive their shots in their municipalities,” Kato said.
