Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida called the CEO of Pfizer Inc. to seek faster delivery of coronavirus vaccines, TV Asahi reported Friday, as the country braces for the spread of the omicron variant.

In a conversation with Albert Bourla, the premier also sought cooperation on the supply of the company’s COVID-19 pill, which Pfizer says is highly effective against severe virus symptoms, the broadcaster said. The government plans to procure 120 million vaccine doses from the company during 2022, the Nikkei newspaper said earlier.

In an echo of its slow start to the vaccine rollout, Japan has so far administered few booster doses, saying that most people will have to wait eight months after their second dose before they are eligible for a third. That will push most people’s shots well into 2022, raising the risk of a further virus surge before the boosters are widely distributed.

Dissatisfaction with the government’s response to the pandemic undermined support for Kishida’s two predecessors, meaning the issue is likely to be key to maintaining approval ahead of an upper house election next year.

Japan currently continues to enjoy a respite from the worst of the infection, with nationwide daily deaths in single figures for a month. Neighboring South Korea, which had also been relatively successful in controlling the infection, is experiencing a record surge in cases. Parts of the U.S. and Europe are also seeing surges.

Japan has recorded several cases of omicron in people returning from overseas, but so far hasn’t confirmed broader locally transmitted infections.

Nearly 78% of the population have received two vaccine shots, according to government data. Booster shots have so far reached 0.1%, with medical workers being prioritized. The weekly average of new cases was at 127 on Thursday, compared with 109 the previous week.