JAKARTA -- China's Sinovac Biotech coronavirus vaccine is not approved for use in Japan.

But still unvaccinated, Japanese diplomats at the embassy in Jakarta are seriously considering taking up the Indonesian government's offer to provide Sinovac shots to diplomatic missions.

The diplomats are on the front line of information gathering, often meeting with foreign counterparts in person. Being vaccinated is a basic etiquette in meeting other foreign diplomats, but many of Japan's diplomats overseas remain unvaccinated, in large part due to the Foreign Ministry's lack of a cohesive policy.

Their plight is in stark contrast to speedy efforts by other countries to protect their diplomats. Singapore and New Zealand flew their diplomats back home for inoculation while Australia shipped doses to Indonesia.

One reason the Foreign Ministry is dragging its feet, is a fear of criticism from the public that diplomats were jumping the queue to receive the shots. The slow inoculation rollout at home only amplifies this fear.

"Diplomats of every nationality are in the front line, and often are serving their countries in places where medical facilities are less than ideal," said Bilahari Kausikan, former permanent secretary of Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressing the importance of support from their home countries.

Over 1,200 foreign diplomats stationed in Indonesia have taken Jakarta's offer for a Sinovac inoculation. The Japanese Embassy consulted with Tokyo over whether to accept the offer, but initially decided that it should not for now.

But as more Japanese citizens in Indonesia receive shots through company-sponsored drives, the embassy is revisiting the Sinovac option again. The free Sinovac doses would not impact the rollout in Japan in any way.

Indonesian President Joko Widodo, center, visits a company-sponsored vaccination drive in May. (Photo by the Indonesian presidential office)

Indonesia's vaccination drive focuses on citizens, meaning foreign residents usually do not qualify. Though the country lets companies voluntarily acquire vaccines to administer to employees, this framework does not apply to diplomatic missions.

Japanese Ambassador Kenji Kanasugi has met with Indonesian officials almost daily since taking the post in January to build personal connections in the country. But he was forced to clear his schedule for several days -- twice -- after meeting individuals who later tested positive for COVID-19.

Some countries now allow in-person meetings only with vaccinated foreign officials, a Japanese diplomat in Indonesia said.

Diplomatic exchanges are expected to intensify in the region ahead of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations summit and related meetings this fall, events that Japan, the U.S. and China also will attend.

"We would have a hard time gathering information if Japan alone is forced to participate in meetings online," the diplomat said.

Delayed inoculations hinder Japan's other missions as well. The Philippines has not offered shots to foreign diplomats, and Japanese Embassy workers there remain unvaccinated. Thailand opened vaccinations to foreign residents including embassy workers on June 7, about three months after the general population. Japan's Embassy in the Czech Republic had urged the local government to provide shots to Japanese residents in the country, and embassy workers were vaccinated last month.

Meanwhile, the U.S. has been administering vaccines regardless of nationality for free, and many Japanese diplomats there have received the shots.

But Japan's Foreign Ministry has yet to articulate a universal strategy for vaccinating diplomats overseas, meaning each mission is consulting individually with the ministry. In addition to the embassy in Jakarta, one mission in Europe decided against giving the U.S.-developed Pfizer vaccine to its members over concerns of backlash in Japan.

Russia also has offered its Sputnik V vaccine for free to diplomatic missions in certain countries. But Japan reportedly turned it down, worried that accepting the shots could fuel Russian propaganda.

"Japan was too slow in securing vaccines -- that's the root of the problem," said Ichiro Fujisaki, a former Japanese ambassador to the U.S. who once was stationed in Indonesia. "The country needs to use this opportunity to fundamentally change the way it responds to crises, including how to utilize the Self-Defense Forces."