Cartoon dog pitches Covid vaccines to skeptical Japanese public

As Japan gears up for a Covid-19 vaccination drive, a cheerful cartoon dog chatbot is doing its bit to reassure a notoriously vaccine-sceptical population and answer any questions they might have.

Trust in vaccines in Japan is among the lowest in the world, a study by the Lancet medical journal showed. Only half the population want to take a Covid-19 vaccine, a poll by national broadcaster NHK found last month.