Japan's vaccination chief says Tokyo Olympics not in his planning

FILE PHOTO: Japan's vaccination programme chief Taro Kono attends a news conference on the country's preparations to begin vaccinating health workers, Tokyo, Japan February 16, 2021. REUTERS/Issei Kato

The minister overseeing Japan's vaccination programme said on Wednesday that the Summer Olympics in Tokyo were not part of his planning.

Japan launched its inoculation drive last week and has already taken delivery of more than 800,000 doses. Minister Taro Kono said Japan will receive up to 2.3 million coronavirus vaccine doses from Pfizer Inc in March.

The Summer Olympics, due to start in Tokyo in July, were "not on my schedule at all," he said.

Kono also said he is not considering giving single doses of the Pfizer vaccine to the elderly to help stretch out scarce supplies.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka and Rocky Swift; Editing by Kevin Liffey and Angus MacSwan)