Mainichi reported that the GOJ and the ruling coalition are mulling hosting a Moderna factory to produce vaccines for the novel coronavirus, seasonal flu, and other infectious diseases somewhere in Japan in order to swiftly secure supplies of such products in the event of a future pandemic. According to the article, the U.S. pharmaceutical firm has acknowledged the existence of such an idea, saying that opening a vaccine plant would be beneficial for Japan in terms of securing expeditious vaccine supplies and training vaccine researchers. The daily noted that the drug firm requested, in exchange for opening a new plant, that the Japanese government purchase some 40 million doses of each vaccine every year for eight years beginning three years after the new factor is constructed. The GOJ and the ruling coalition are reportedly divided over the proposal, with the opponents expressing concern about the billions of dollars needed to purchase a large number of Moderna vaccines every year. They claim that Japanese people tend to favor the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine and have steered clear of the Moderna product.