• Shohei Okamoto JSPS Postdoctoral Fellow, Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology

• Sawako Shirahase TCJS Director

Even though the degree and duration of vaccines’ efficacies remain unconfirmed, widespread vaccination, by establishing herd immunity against the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19), is a demanded step to the pandemic end. However, vaccine hesitancy, defined as ‘delay in acceptance or refusal of vaccines despite availability of vaccine services’, can hinder achieving herd immunity. In this study, we investigated determinants and reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy, utilising a sample of Japanese adults aged between 20 and 74, collected through an online survey in July 2021. Furthermore, we conducted a conjoint experiment to evaluate if relaxing social distancing policies can increase vaccination intentions.

Shohei Okamoto is a JSPS postdoctoral fellow at the Research Team for Social Participation and Community Health of Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, whose expertise lies in social epidemiology.

Prior to the present position, he was engaged in research at the Leading Graduate School program of Keio University, at the Department of Global Health & Social Medicine of King’s College London, and at the Research Center for Financial Gerontology of Keio University.

He received his BA & MA in Economics, MS in Epidemiology, and PhD in Economics from Keio University, Tokyo, Japan.