The Defense Ministry on Tuesday issued a written protest against two newspapers -- The Asahi Shimbun and The Mainichi Shimbun -- after reporters allegedly used fake information to make reservations at large-scale vaccination sites operated by the Self-Defense Forces in Tokyo and Osaka Prefecture.
According to the ministry, people who want to be vaccinated must enter their inoculation voucher number and date of birth, among other information, on a dedicated website to make a reservation. However, it is currently possible to make a reservation even with a fake number.
Admitting the flaw in the system, Defense Minister Nobuo Kishi said at Tuesday's press conference that it was difficult to build in a short time a system capable of detecting irregularities. Therefore, priority was given to achieving a smooth vaccination rollout, he said.
Kishi also said the reservation system would be modified as much as possible.
"Making a reservation by devious means is a malicious act that could lead to the waste of valuable vaccines," Kishi said, urging people not to make false reservations. Legal action will be considered for egregious cases.
Asahi Shimbun Publications Inc. and The Mainichi Newspapers have published articles -- on their website and printed edition, respectively -- about their reporters testing whether it was possible to make a reservation with a fictitious voucher number and other information.
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