Nearly one million doses of AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccines donated by the Japanese Government arrives at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on late June 16. (Photo: VNA)

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long, representing the Vietnamese Government, received the COVID-19 vaccine batch at the airport.

Addressing the event, Minister Long expressed his joy to receive the vaccine shipment as donation by the Japanese Government, saying that this gift is an example of the flourishing relations between Vietnam and Japan, especially amidst complicated developments of the pandemic and critical shortages of vaccines on a global scale.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long (centre), representing the Vietnamese Government, receives the COVID-19 vaccine batch from Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio at the airport. (Photo: VNA)

Vietnam is committed to effectively use of the vaccine as soon as possible, Long said, adding this batch of the vaccine would be transported to Ho Chi Minh City on June 17 morning to inoculate the people and workers in the southern city.

He also said that Vietnam is the first country in Southeast Asia that has received COVID-19 vaccine aid from Japan.

Japanese Ambassador to Vietnam Yamada Takio said the donation is a testament to the longstanding friendship between Japan and Vietnam, and Japan wishes to connect with the international community, especially with Vietnam, to overcome the pandemic.

Minister of Health Nguyen Thanh Long has a look at the newly-arrived vaccine batch. (Photo: VNA)

The Air Japan flight departed from Narita International Airport in Tokyo at 6:45pm on June 16, carrying temperature-controlled shipping containers to maintain 2-8 degrees Celsius, the ideal storage condition for AstraZeneca vaccines.

During the meeting with the Japanese Ambassador on June 15, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh thanked the Japanese Government for the donation following his phone call with Japanese counterpart Suga Yoshihide.

Source: VNA

Japan donates 1 million COVID-19 vaccine doses to Vietnam

Japan has donated a batch of one million AstraZeneca vaccine doses to Vietnam. The shipment of the vaccines made in Japan is expected to leave on Wednesday and arrive in Vietnam the same day.