Chief cabinet secretary Hirokazu Matsuno said at a regular news conference that the US-based company’s shot will provide the country with “some diversity in vaccines.”

Unlike the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer or Moderna, both of which are already used in Japan, the Novavax vaccine delivers a portion of a virus protein to stimulate an immune reaction.

The government has also cleared AstraZeneca’s vaccine, which uses viral vectors – modified versions of the virus – to deliver genetic instructions to cells.

A group of experts inside the health ministry has greenlighted the drug for domestic use. It would be available to those 18 and over, and can be used for the first two injections as well as booster shots.

Novavax has contracted with Takeda Pharmaceutical to manufacture and distribute the vaccine in Japan. Takeda first applied for approval from the government in December.

The government has reached an agreement to receive 150 million doses, roughly over the course of this year. The initial 100,000 doses are expected to be delivered to local governments beginning in late May.

Novavax’s vaccine has already been authorised for use in the European Union and Canada.

In clinical trials, the candidate has been shown to be effective in preventing symptoms of Covid-19 in roughly 90% of subjects 18 and older after a two-dose regimen.