Japan social media outrage over prospect of vaccine priority for Olympic athletes
Only one million people have recieved their first dose of the vaccine in Japan
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Japan is thinking of prioritising Covid-19 vaccines for Olympic athletes, Kyodo news agency reported on Thursday, sparking a furore on social media as the country’s inoculation drive significantly lags behind other major economies.
Only the Pfizer vaccine has so far been approved and just one million people have received the first dose since February out of Japan’s population of 126 million. Vaccinations for the elderly are only set to start next week.
This comes against a backdrop of a spike in new cases ahead of Olympics that is set to start in July.
According to government officials quoted by Kyodo late on Wednesday, Japan has begun looking into the possibility of making sure its Olympic and Paralympic athletes are all vaccinated by the end of June.
The report provoked outrage on social media, even as Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato assured there were currently no plans to prioritise athletes.
Read more:
- Artwork damaged by couple who thought brushes and paint in front of piece were for visitors’ use
- Sri Lanka national beauty pageant winner injured on stage as rival tries to steal crown
- Man dies after police ordered him to do squats as punishment for breaking Covid curfew rules
- Man smoking in restaurant throws hot soup at woman who asked him to stop
“Give it to my mother first,” wrote a Twitter user.
“Athletes are all young and healthy.”
Many people noted that the original plan for vaccinations gives priority to medical workers, the elderly and those with chronic conditions, with ordinary citizens unlikely to get theirs before the summer.
“This is really weird. Given that we have no idea if even all the elderly will have received their vaccines by mid-June, you’re going to have all the athletes have theirs?” a user with the handle “Aoiumi2” posted on Twitter.
While the government has said it will push ahead with the Olympics as planned from 23 July, a vast majority of Japanese want the Games to be cancelled or postponed again.
A number of test events for some sports have recently been cancelled or postponed due to concerns about the pandemic, and on Tuesday leading business executive Hiroshi Mikitani wrote on Twitter that holding the Games was “risky”.
“Honestly, I feel that the Olympics this summer are just far too risky. I am against them,” wrote Mr Mikitani, the CEO of Japanese e-commerce group Rakuten Inc.
Reuters
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments