[Title] Joint Press Release: United States Forces Japan's effort to vaccinate local employees to combat COVID-19

Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government of Japan (GOJ) and United States Forces Japan (USFJ) have coordinated closely to combat the virus. The GOJ and USFJ remain seriously concerned by the global pandemic and challenges posed to both the health of the Japanese community as well as the personnel of USFJ. Both the GOJ and USFJ continue to enforce comprehensive, rigorous, and effective health protection policies designed to combat COVID-19.

As USFJ has made great progress vaccinating its personnel, the GOJ and USFJ concurred, following bilateral consultations, including through the Joint Committee framework, that USFJ will start administering vaccine doses to local employees who wish to be vaccinated by USFJ. Vaccines will come from USG's supply of Pfizer Biontech and Moderna vaccines.

This new initiative will be implemented in close coordination with the GOJ's ongoing effort to vaccinate the Japanese population and will help further accelerate that effort. Vaccinating local employees will contribute to the prevention of further spread of COVID-19 in Japan and will protect the resilience of the Alliance. The vaccinations will also ensure steady operations of USFJ, further enabling the USG to meet its Treaty obligations to the security of Japan.

GOJ and USFJ have also confirmed that the local employees will not be treated adversely for not receiving the vaccinations.

The GOJ and USFJ reaffirm their commitment to day-to-day close coordination, including with the local governments concerned, and between the respective health authorities, and to take the necessary actions to prevent further spread of COVID-19 in Japan.