Photo/Illutration Taro Kono, the administrative reform minister who is in charge of the vaccine rollout, at a news conference on July 6 (Junya Sakamoto)

Taro Kono, who heads Japan’s COVID-19 vaccination program, revealed on July 6 that 13.7 million doses of Moderna Inc.’s vaccine had arrived by the end of June, only about one-third of the total originally ordered.

Kono, who is also the administrative reform minister, said at a news conference that changes in the contract with the U.S. pharmaceutical company led to the lower amount received.

Under the contract signed with the health ministry last year, Moderna promised to supply 40 million doses to Japan by the end of June.

But Kono said the amount was decreased by more than 60 percent after further discussions between the government and Moderna.

“Moderna vaccines are in high demand worldwide, and we, as the Japanese government, decided to secure the amount that we truly need after consultations with Moderna,” Kono said.

Asked if Moderna told Japan that it would be difficult to supply 40 million doses by the deadline, Kono declined to give further details, saying, “The high demand for Moderna vaccines was an underlying reason.”

He was also unspecific about when the contract was changed.

“It was quite in the early days when we changed the 40-million-dose number,” he said. “I don’t remember exactly when. But for all I know, it was possibly before the Golden Week holidays (from late April).”

Citing the contract, the Japanese government had declined to announce the actual amount of Moderna vaccines being supplied to the country.

The company is expected to provide 50 million doses to Japan by the end of September.

Its vaccine is being used mainly for inoculation programs at large companies and universities.

In early June, the central government started accepting applications for Moderna shots in these programs. But demand was so overwhelming that the central government stopped accepting new applications and will not resume the process.

Asked by a reporter if the government’s decision to decrease the Moderna supply has added to the confusion over the vaccine rollout, Kono said, “Not at all.”

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