Winning the fight against COVID-19 is a group effort which requires everyone to be equipped with the same weapons. Thanks to a new initiative between the Government of Japan and U.S. Forces Japan, Japanese employees working on USFJ installations are now eligible to receive U.S. Government supply of the COVID-19 vaccine.

The U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa located on Camp Foster is one of two locations in Okinawa host nation employees can received the vaccine. The other being on Kadena Air Base. There are approximately 8,200 eligible local-national employees working for U.S. military
installations in Okinawa.

“We are really excited because we enjoy being a part of the host nation community and helping them get vaccinated” said U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Jenny L. Smith, a COVID-19 vaccine officer in charge. “Getting as many people vaccinated as possible protects everybody – our forces, our family, our local community, and our Japanese nationals.”

While the COVID-19 vaccine has been available since January for Status of Forces Agreement members living in Okinawa, local Japanese employees working at USFJ installations were ineligible to receive vaccines through the U.S. military system due to Japanese governmental restrictions.

This inequity created risks in work and gathering spaces where eligible SOFA members, who were fully vaccinated, need to interact and work closely in shared spaces with local national employees, who were unable to get vaccinated.

Vaccinating host nation employees will contribute to the prevention of further spread of COVID-19 in Japan, and help create healthy working environments for all U.S. military employees and service members.

“When I went to reserve my vaccination, I felt better and safer regarding COVID-19,” said Yoshiyasu Higa, a facility planning specialist with U.S. Army Garrison Torii Station. “It relieves my stress. This is a great program and we really appreciate it and thank the U.S. Naval Hospital, the Government of Japan, and USFJ.”

Vaccines will come from USFJ’s supply of Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, which has been approved for use in Japan. The Moderna vaccine is a two-dose shot. The first dose is given on the day of appointment followed by a second dose 28 days later.

“I was afraid that the shot would hurt, but it wasn’t that bad,” said Saori Uchihara, a Japanese employee with Directorate of Public Works, U.S. Army Garrison Torii Station. “I am so excited that we can all now receive the shot to keep us and our community safe.”

Vaccines are given on a volunteer basis only and are free of charge to host nation employees. There is no requirement that host nation employees receive a vaccine from USFJ, nor will they be negatively impacted if they choose not to get vaccinated. Signing up for the vaccine is easy due to the USNHO’s online, appointment based system.  USNHO is the referral center for the entire western Pacific area of operations. It is jointly staffed by active duty Navy, Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps personnel, as well as U. S. civilian and Japanese Master Labor Contract employees. 

“Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Government of Japan and USFJ have coordinated closely to combat the virus,” said a spokesperson from USFJ. “Following bilateral consultations, including through the Joint Committee framework, it was agreed that USFJ can administer vaccine doses to eligible local employees who wish to be vaccinated by USFJ. Local employees play a key role in supporting U.S. government operations, and we are more than happy to aid in their inoculation against COVID-19.”