A pharmacist checks the quality of syringes, which will be filled with the Moderna booster vaccine, at the Antwerp Expo vaccine center in Antwerp, Belgium, on Dec. 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Virginia Mayo)

       TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday the government will consider bringing forward COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for all people as much as possible.

       In an interview with Kyodo News, Kishida said he will make the country's anti-virus measures "fully operational" so people can feel safe.

       Japan has already started giving third shots to health care workers, followed by senior citizens early next year.

       Japan has not seen a surge in Omicron cases, but the government remains on alert, barring new entries by foreigners from abroad and offering free PCR and antigen testing in some areas like Tokyo, where community spread of the new coronavirus variant has been confirmed.

       "Besides 31 million health care workers and elderly people, we'd like to consider bringing (the schedule for third shots) forward as much as possible," Kishida said.

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