ISTANBUL

Japan on Tuesday announced its first domestic COVID-19 vaccine against the Omicron XBB.1.5 coronavirus subvariant.

A Health Ministry panel said that the vaccine developed by pharmaceutical firm Daiichi Sankyo is approved for practical use, Tokyo-based NHK news agency reported.

Experts on the panel said "they confirmed the vaccine's effectiveness, and that they have no serious concerns over its safety."

The vaccine will be distributed nationwide in December upon receiving ministry approval.

The ministry approved Daiichi Sankyo's plan to produce and sell 1.4 million doses of the XBB.1.5-adapted vaccine, leading to the purchase agreement.

Of about 34 million cases of COVID-19 since early 2020, Japan suffered about 75,000 deaths, according to Worldometer figures.