Philippine Ambassador to Japan Jose C. Laurel V said on Thursday that the vaccination against coronavirus disease in the Philippines is "faster" than in Japan, noting that he, along with his staff and most Nikkei-jins, has not received yet a jab.

In the "Laging Handa" public briefing, Laurel, however, said that except for one COVID-19 death in Tokyo and still two active cases, Filipinos in Japan were fine.

"Beyond that, everbody is fine and you're better because your vaccination (in the Philippines) is faster compared to us. Up to now I haven't yet been vaccinated as well as my staff and most Filipinos whom we call as Nikkei-jin or second generation or children of Japanese citizens," he said.

Asked of the reason for the apparent slow vaccination program in Japan, Laurel, a senior citizen, said, "they are very, very meticulous and you know the Japanese, their policy does not easily change.

"They really study the system, their system is very basic - give (vaccine) first all the frontliners, the medical people, the caregivers, all. Then the elderly, after them anyone below 70; and the last are the younger ones - that is the real reason and they are really very meticulous," he explained.

He said all Filipinos in Japan are included in the free vaccination program of the Japanese government.

According to the National COVID-19 Vaccination Operations Center, as of June 2, a total of 5,382,172 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered in the Philippines. Celerina Monte/DMS