Photo/Illutration Osamu Katono, mayor of Shirosato town in Ibaraki Prefecture, explains why and how he was vaccinated at a news conference at the town office on May 13. (Hiromichi Fujita)

While elderly people are repeatedly calling phone lines and working other avenues to make COVID-19 shot appointments, two town mayors are trying to justify moving to the front of the line.

The mayors of Shirosato, Ibaraki Prefecture, and Kamikawa, Hyogo Prefecture, both received vaccinations although neither are 65 or older or medical personnel, who are eligible for the jabs.

Shirosato Mayor Osamu Katono, 42, revealed on May 13 that he had been vaccinated against COVID-19 in late April.

He and 11 other town officials, including senior members and receptionists of vaccination centers, got inoculated because there were cancellations of vaccinations for medical personnel.

After the media reported the story, Katono held a news conference.

The mayor said that he received a vaccine shot on April 28. On April 26 and 28, 162 medical workers in the town were scheduled to get inoculated, but 12 canceled their appointments.

In the event of cancellations, about 10 town officials were supposed to get the shots, but there were more cancellations than expected, according to the mayor.

He said as he is in charge of the town’s vaccination program, “he received a shot so as not to bring administrative activities and vaccination projects to a standstill.”

“I did not receive a high priority on the vaccinations," Katono said, adding, “I could be called a member of medical personnel because I established medical clinics to become vaccination centers. I followed the government’s notice.”

In Hyogo Prefecture, Sogo Yamana, Kamikawa town mayor, 62, also received a vaccination on May 6, the first day of the town's group vaccination program for people aged 65 or older, although he was not eligible.

“I have received one because I am in charge of crisis management,” he told The Asahi Shimbun on May 12. “I apologize for causing concerns and a disturbance among town residents.”

According to Yamana, he considered the infection risk he is exposed to at Kanzaki Municipal General Hospital, which he founded and visits every week to attend meetings. 

He asked the deputy mayor in late April, “Can we make good use of vaccine doses for appointments that have been canceled or which will be wasted?”

Yamana asked the deputy mayor to talk to hospital officials to allow him to be inoculated.

The chief clerk of the hospital replied, “We can use canceled doses for him,” so Yamana decided to get a shot.

Yamana has a reservation to receive the second vaccination at the hospital on May 27.

“I can’t waste doses,” he said.

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