Japan considering providing AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine to Taiwan, report says

The government is considering providing part of the nation’s supply of COVID-19 vaccines from AstraZeneca PLC to Taiwan, the Sankei newspaper reported on Friday, citing government and ruling party sources.

Japan approved AstraZeneca’s vaccine last week and has contracted to buy 120 million doses. But there are no immediate plans to use the shots in the country amid lingering concerns raised internationally over rare blood clots.

A Japan ruling party committee on Taiwan relations said on Friday it would call on the government to supply a portion of Japan’s AstraZeneca vaccine stock to Taiwan to help the island tackle a surge in coronavirus infections.

“We should provide Taiwan with vaccines as soon as possible,” the head of the policy group, Masahisa Sato said at a news briefing following a meeting of lawmakers. “When Japan was in need Taiwan sent us 2 million masks,” added Sato, who has served as a deputy defense minister and a deputy foreign minister.

The recommendation will be included in a set of proposals the policy group will give to Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi, aimed at bolstering diplomatic and security ties with Taiwan as concern in Japan grows over China’s increasing pressure on the island.

AstraZeneca’s local partner, Daiichi Sankyo Co., started bottling the vaccine in March and the stockpile is currently estimated at around 30 million doses which will expire by September if not used.

The amount is set to increase as AstraZeneca added Nipro Corp. this week as its third local partner to conduct filling and packaging of the vaccine.

Japan started its inoculation drive in mid-February, later than most major economies and using imported doses of the shot developed by Pfizer Inc and BioNTech SE.

A vaccine developed by Moderna also went into use this week with the opening of mass vaccination centers.