Japan will now allow elderly people nationwide to book coronavirus vaccinations at state-run mass vaccination centers in Tokyo and Osaka, the government said Thursday.
The move to expand the target areas from seven prefectures in the Tokyo and Kansai areas comes as part of efforts to accelerate the country's inoculation drive. Many slots still remain vacant at the large-scale sites.
The development comes after Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday he aims to finish vaccinating Japan's population against COVID-19 by November.