2021.06.16

Shinjuku Prioritizes Vaccines for People in their 20s and 30s

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In most of Tokyo, older generations have priority, but Shinjuku is targeting a younger crowd.

Japan has been lagging behind other countries when it comes to the vaccination race against COVID-19, and for months reservations have been restricted to healthcare workers, and then finally senior citizens. But recent announcements from the government have suddenly sped up the country's vaccination plan (perhaps for the sake of the general public, or perhaps for the sake of the Olympics), and local governments are taking steps to actually make these new changes work. For most of Japan, the major difference is that vaccines should be made available to all residents from June 19th, instead of just the slightly younger group of people aged 60+ or with underlying health conditions, as was previously planned.

In Shinjuku, however, the vaccine plan is going in another direction.

Shinjuku is a center of commerce, nightlife, and all kinds of activity in Tokyo, so perhaps it's not so surprising that they've gone a slightly different route from most of Japan. Shinjuku Ward announced in early June that two days before the broader vaccination begins, the ward office would begin to send their "vaccination tickets" (used to make vaccine reservations) out to all local residents aged 59 and younger starting June 17th. When it comes to actually making a reservation to get the shot, however, priority will apparently be given to the 110,000 Shinjuku residents still in their 20s and 30s.

This decision was made because the official ward office vaccination system isn't the only route to a vaccine in Japan―the government has announced plans to offer vaccines through companies and workplaces, to speed up the process―and the Shinjuku Ward office has speculated that residents in their 40s and 50s will have better access to vaccines outside of the ward's reservation system. Shinjuku Mayor Kenichi Yoshizumi put it simply by saying "we think we should hurry the younger crowd."

If you're a young person living in Shinjuku, learn more about local vaccination progress (in Japanese) on the official Shinjuku governmental website.

▶ Reporting from Mainichi Shinbun.

For more info and updates from Japan, check Japankuru for new articles, and don't forget to follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook!

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NAME:Shinjuku, Tokyo (東京都新宿区)

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- KAGOSHIMA
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  Kagoshima Prefecture played a major role in Japan's modernization as a backdrop for famous historical figures like samurais Saigo Takamori and Okubo Toshimichi, who pushed Japan out of the Edo era and into the Meiji. Because of that, Sengan-en Garden is just one of many historical destinations, and when it comes to attractions Kagoshima has plenty: the active volcano of Sakurajima, popular hot springs Ibusuki Onsen and Kirishima Onsen, World Heritage Site Yakushima Island, even what Japan calls the "island closest to heaven," Amami Oshima. Kagoshima might be found on the very southernmost tip of the southern island of Kyushu, but there's plenty to see.
- OKINAWA
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  The island chain of Okinawa (沖縄) makes up the southernmost tip of Japan, which is why it's also the most tropical area in the country. Thanks to a history of independence and totally distinct political and cultural events, Okinawa has a unique culture, and remnants of the Ryukyu Kingdom are still visible all over the islands. Food, language, traditional dress, it's all a little different! It's also said to be the birthplace of karate.