Japan Begins COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Ahead of 2021 Tokyo Summer Olympics

Japan started its COVID-19 vaccination campaign Wednesday ahead of the 2021 Summer Olympics scheduled to take place in Tokyo.

According to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN), the first rollout of vaccines will go to medical workers, followed by elderly and vulnerable people.

The remaining population could "possibly" start to receive the vaccine "in late spring or early summer."

Despite the planned rollout, the AP noted that medical experts say the late vaccine rollout "will make it impossible to reach so-called herd immunity before the Olympics begin in July."

Japan is the last of the Group of Seven nations—which also includes Canada, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom and the United States—to roll out the vaccine. 

The Japan Times reported Jan. 29 the government was making careful preparations, including "rapid" mock vaccinations, in the hopes of inoculating as many as 200 people per day. 

It also reported Japan's central government has secured enough COVID-19 vaccines for 157 million people, which is "more than enough to cover Japan's entire population of 125 million people."

Per the AP, Japan's rollout was also delayed because the government "asked Pfizer to conduct clinical trials with Japanese people, in addition to tests already conducted in six other nations" in an attempt to address concerns among its citizens who have "low vaccine confidence."

It's still not clear if the Olympics will be able to take place this summer in Tokyo. Richard Lloyd Parry of The Times reported last month the Japanese government "privately concluded" the Games would have to be canceled because of the pandemic.

Thomas Bach, president of the International Olympic Committee, and local organizers responded to that report with a statement declaring they are still planning to move forward with the Games:

"All our delivery partners including the national government, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, Tokyo 2020 Organizing Committee, the IOC and the IPC [International Paralympic Committee] are fully focused on hosting the games this summer. 

"We hope that daily life can return to normal as soon as possible, and we will continue to make every effort to prepare for a safe and secure games."

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said at a World Economic Forum in January that the country is "determined" to move ahead with the Olympics to use them as "proof of human victory against the pandemic, a symbol of global solidarity and to give hope and courage around the world."

The Tokyo Olympics were originally scheduled to be held from July 24 to Aug. 9, 2020, but were postponed because of the pandemic. The Games are currently set to run from July 23 to Aug. 8.