This photo shows syringes for vaccines. (Mainichi/Naotsune Umemura)

       YOKOHAMA (Kyodo) -- Foreign matter has been found in four unused vials of Pfizer Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine in two cities near Tokyo, the local governments said Tuesday.

       The vials belong to the same lot, FF5357, according to the cities of Sagamihara and Kamakura, both in Kanagawa Prefecture. They have requested Pfizer to analyze the substances, which were white floating matter.

       The contaminants were discovered at three vaccination sites in Sagamihara between Saturday and Tuesday, and at one site in Kamakura on Sunday.

       The cities said they did not use the doses containing the foreign matter while continuing to administer doses bearing the same lot number that were confirmed not contaminated.

       Last month, the health ministry halted the use of around 1.63 million doses of Moderna Inc.'s COVID-19 vaccine as a precaution after foreign substances were discovered in numerous vials.

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