TOKYO: The Japanese government said Tuesday it will offer emergency grant aid worth 41 million dollars to 25 developing nations in the Asia-Pacific region to support their coronavirus vaccination efforts.

The assistance will provide these countries with equipment including vaccine freezers and trucks.

With the move, Japan, whose own vaccines are still under development, hopes to bolster its support of vaccination efforts in developing nations at a time when China and Russia are promoting the use of their homemade vaccines to strengthen their geopolitical influence.

So far, Japan has been helping developing nations through COVAX, an international framework for ensuring fair access to COVID-19 vaccines.

It is also considering joining forces with the United States, Australia and India to supply vaccines.

“It’s important that each country makes a strong showing in what it’s good at, in order to distribute vaccines throughout developing nations,” Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi said at a press conference.

The 25 recipient nations are 10 Southeast Asian nations, including Cambodia and Myanmar, five Southwest Asian nations, including Nepal and Pakistan, and 10 Pacific Island nations, including Papua New Guinea and Micronesia.

JIJI Press