TOKYO, Jul 12 (NNN-NHK) – Japan will start accepting applications for vaccination passports from Jul 26, for people who have been fully inoculated against COVID-19 to travel internationally, the top government spokesman said yesterday.
Whether to use such certificates for domestic economic activities, as business circles request, is under consideration by the Japanese government, Chief Cabinet Secretary, Katsunobu Kato said, on an NHK TV programme, adding that, people should not be discriminated against or forced unfairly due to whether they have been vaccinated or not.
The vaccination certificates will be official records issued by municipalities. It will show information about an administered vaccine, the vaccination date and location, and personal information, such as name and passport number.
Kato said, the certificates will be issued in paper form by the end of July, and the digital ones will be considered later.
The largest business lobby of Japan, the Japan Business Federation, known as Keidanren, suggested using the certificates for raising event attendance caps and for restaurant discounts in Japan.
The vaccination certificates are also introduced in the European Union, and the ASEAN Nations, for international travellers from their member states.
Prime Minister, Yoshihide Suga’s government is stepping up the vaccination rollout in Japan. The programme started in Feb with health care workers, and expanded to those aged 65 or older from Apr. Recently, inoculations for people under 65 have begun in some municipalities, and companies can apply vaccines for their employees.
However, some municipalities are forced to restrict accepting reservations due to a recent supply shortfall of vaccines, and new applications by companies have been suspended.
Suga said that, his goal is to complete inoculations for all eligible people in Japan who want to receive vaccines, by Nov.– NNN-NHK
