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 Taiwan is battling a spike in domestic infections and has vaccinated
only about 3% of its population. Japan has agreed to procure more
than 300 million doses of coronavirus vaccines from Pfizer Inc,
Moderna Inc and AstraZeneca, more than enough to cover its entire
population.
"At the time of the great east Japan earthquake 10 years ago, people
in Taiwan sent us a lot of donations quickly. I believe that is
etched vividly in the minds of Japanese people," Foreign Minister
Toshimitsu Motegi said, announcing the vaccine donation. "Such an
important partnership and friendship with Taiwan is reflected in
this offer."
The vaccines landed at Taipei's main international airport early in
the afternoon. Taiwan Health Minister Chen Shih-chung said he was
"extremely thankful" the shots had arrived at a tense moment in the
island's fight against the pandemic, as he reported another 472 new
infections.
"I believe it will be very helpful in overall pandemic prevention,"
he added.
The donation is a triumph for Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen, who has
faced public anger about the slow arrival of vaccines and small
protests by the main opposition party, the Kuomintang, outside her
offices.
In a live online broadcast from her office, Tsai called on people to
understand that it was not only Taiwan facing challenges getting
vaccines now, with global supplies tight.
"Taiwan's international situation is very difficult. Even before
vaccines are loaded onto the aircraft, there may be variables."
China, which claims the island as its own territory, has offered
vaccines, but Taiwan has repeatedly expressed concern about their
safety and accused China of trying to block Taiwan's vaccine
purchases internationally.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin told reporters in
Beijing that despite China's goodwill offer of shots, Taiwan had
"lied that the mainland obstructed the provision of vaccines" to the
island.
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 "The Taiwan authorities for
their own selfish political gains have engaged
in political manipulation on vaccine issues," he
added.
Though Taiwan's share has not been announced,
the island will also get shots under a White
House plan for the United States to share 25
million surplus COVID-19 vaccine doses with the
world.
Taiwan has received only about 860,000 doses so
far, mainly AstraZeneca shots, but also a
smaller number from Moderna. It has ordered more
than 20 million doses from AstraZeneca and
Moderna and is also developing its own vaccines.
In an emailed statement to Reuters, Johnson &
Johnson said that it had been in "confidential
discussions" with Taiwan about providing its
COVID-19 vaccine to the island since last year,
but gave no details.
The J&J vaccine requires a single dose, rather
than the two-shot regimen of most other COVID-19
vaccines.
Japan approved AstraZeneca's vaccine last month
and has contracted to buy 120 million doses. But
there are no immediate plans to use the shots,
amid lingering concerns raised internationally
over blood clots.
(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Rocky Swift
in Tokyo, and Ben Blanchard and Yimou Lee in
Taipei; Additional reporting by Cate Cadell in
Beijing; Editing by Christopher Cushing, Simon
Cameron-Moore and Gerry Doyle)
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