Japan to provide AstraZeneca vaccines to Malaysia if circumstances allow

 

The Japanese government will provide AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccines manufactured in Japan to Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Thailand, announced its Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu on Tuesday.

According to the Japanese Embassy in Malaysia, the minister said the vaccines will be delivered from July, if various circumstances allow, and will advance its coordination.

“Based on the Foreign Minister’s announcement today, the Embassy of Japan in Malaysia will continue to work closely with the government of Malaysia to provide the vaccine to Malaysians.

“This will be another symbol of friendship between Japan and Malaysia,” the embassy said in a statement.

The Japanese government previously provided medical equipment worth about US$5 million (RM20.5 million) to Malaysia in January to battle the Covid-19 pandemic.

Japan also rendered humanitarian assistance worth approximately US$2 million (RM8.2 million) to Malaysia through the United Nations Children's Fund (Unicef), United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

For Asean, Japan proposed the establishment of the “ASEAN Centre for Public Health Emergencies and Emerging Diseases” to protect people in this region from the threat of infectious diseases and provided financial support of US$50 million (RM206 million) through the Japan-Asean Integration Fund (Jaif).

- Bernama