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AstraZeneca to produce 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan

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Kyodo News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2021/reuters/01/28/health-coronavirus-brazil.jpg"/><figcaption>A health-care worker holds a vial of the AstraZeneca/Oxford COVID-19 vaccine at a public hospital in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Jan. 27, 2021. Pilar Olivares, Reuters</figcaption></figure></div><p>TOKYO - AstraZeneca Plc plans to produce over 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan, or about 75 percent of what the country is set to receive from the British pharmaceutical firm, the top government spokesman said Thursday.</p><p>JCR Pharmaceuticals Co. in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, is expected to be in charge of producing AstraZeneca&#x27;s vaccine doses, according to sources familiar with the matter. AstraZeneca is set to provide 120 million shots, or enough for about 60 million people, to Japan.</p><p>&quot;It&#x27;s very important to have vaccine production systems in place in our country,&quot; Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato said at a press conference.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/news/01/28/21/ph-approves-astrazeneca-covid-19-vaccine-for-emergency-use">PH approves AstraZeneca’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use</a></li></ul><p>AstraZeneca on Wednesday notified Japan&#x27;s health ministry of its plans for domestic production, Kato said.</p><p>The government provides subsidies to companies preparing to produce vaccines domestically.</p><p>Of the 120 million doses to be provided by AstraZeneca, the remaining 30 million are expected to be imported to Japan by March. A clinical study of the AstraZeneca vaccine developed with the University of Oxford began in Japan last August.</p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/overseas/01/20/21/japan-plans-mass-virus-jabs-ahead-of-olympics-from-may-reports">Japan plans mass virus jabs ahead of Olympics from May: reports</a></li></ul><p>Tokyo plans to start coronavirus vaccinations by late February with priority given first to medical staff. The government is set to receive a combined 310 million doses from AstraZeneca as well as US pharmaceutical firms Pfizer Inc. and Moderna Inc.</p><p>The total will be enough for 157 million people in a country with a population of about 126 million.</p><p>The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines need to be stored and transported at subzero temperatures while AstraZeneca&#x27;s is easier to handle. Still, the British drugmaker has faced production problems overseas, falling behind on its expected supply to the European Union.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/9UM37lWno4s?enablejsapi=1" width="560"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more in <a href="//www.iwantv.com.ph/">iWantv</a> or <a href="//tfc.tv/">TFC.tv</a></div>

<p>AstraZeneca Plc plans to produce over 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan, or about 75 percent of what the country is set to receive from the British pharmaceutical firm, the top government spokesman said Thursday.</p>

AstraZeneca Plc plans to produce over 90 million COVID-19 vaccine doses in Japan, or about 75 percent of what the country is set to receive from the British pharmaceutical firm, the top government spokesman said Thursday.