Japan’s health ministry will begin routine vaccinations against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), marking the start of fiscal 2026. RSV is a common infection among infants and can lead to pneumonia.

Most infants in Japan are believed to contract RSV at least once. Symptoms typically resemble a cold, including fever and a runny nose, and the virus spreads through droplets or contact with contaminated hands.

The vaccine, Abrysvo, developed by Pfizer, will be given to pregnant women between 28 and 36 weeks of pregnancy to help protect their babies. It will be administered as a single intramuscular injection, with costs largely covered by public funding.

This marks the first time a maternal vaccine is included in Japan’s routine immunisation programme. Reported side effects may include pain or muscle soreness at the injection site, but the vaccine is not expected to increase risks such as premature birth or stillbirth.

Antibody treatments given directly to infants have also proven effective in preventing RSV, although current immunisation laws do not allow their inclusion in the routine programme. A health ministry expert panel is reviewing whether this could change.

From April, Japan also plans to introduce more effective vaccines for routine immunisation against human papillomavirus (HPV), which can cause cervical cancer, as well as pneumococcal infections in older adults.

31.03.2026.