Japan began vaccinating its elderly population against COVID-19 on Monday using the Pfizer vaccine.
They are the second group to be inoculated following health care workers.
Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the country will work to complete the program for seniors as soon as possible.
The vaccinations come amid concerns of another wave of the coronavirus as new infections have been surging in Tokyo as well as the Osaka and Kyoto prefectures.
The government has designated the areas as requiring tough measures to control the spread of the virus.
Japan launched its vaccination program in mid-February and as of Friday, 1.1 million people had received at least one shot, according to Tokyo's health ministry.
