(MENAFN- Trend News Agency) An advisory panel for the finance minister on Monday proposed
that the Japanese government end free-of-charge coronavirus
vaccinations, highlighting concerns over a further increase of its
financial strain, reports citing .
Japan's Ministry of Finance convened a subcommittee meeting on
Monday and asked a panel of experts to start discussing possible
charges for the COVID-19 shots, like the ones for seasonal
influenza and other infectious diseases.
The finance ministry said the free inoculations have put a huge
financial burden on the central government, and citizens should
shoulder part of the costs for future shots.
According to the ministry, the Japanese government has spent
about 17 trillion yen (116 billion U.S. dollars) to aid medical
services in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, with
expenditures including the securing of hospital beds and
facilitating the supply of free vaccines.
In fiscal 2021, which ended March this year, Japan has spent
2.34 trillion yen procuring vaccines for medical facilities, with
each shot costing around 9,600 yen, compared with 5,000 yen for a
flu shot, it added.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno told a press
conference the same day that ending the free rollout of COVID-19
vaccines is something to be considered in the future and that it
does not contradict with the government's current vaccination
program.
The finance ministry also said COVID-19 antigen testing kits
that the government has purchased for distribution free of charge
should now be supplied by the private sector.
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