On November 14, Japan pushed ahead of Canada to claim the highest COVID-19 vaccination rate among the Group of Seven nations—a feat considered remarkable given the lack of any inoculation mandates and the public’s historically low level of vaccine confidence.

“The slow start and the shortage made people think that they had to get shots quickly,” Research Director Kenji Shibuya, an epidemiology expert, told Bloomberg.com. “Elderly people were mindful of the health risks and had a strong sense of urgency to get it. Their experience gave a sense of security and encouraged the rest of their families to get it too.”

“Japan Leads the G-7 in Covid Shots Without a Mandate in Sight,” Bloomberg
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-11-16/japan-leads-the-g-7-in-covid-shots-without-a-mandate-in-sight

Profile of Research Director Kenji Shibuya
https://www.tkfd.or.jp/en/experts/detail.php?id=653