TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The Japanese health ministry on Tuesday called for seniors to take routine coronavirus vaccinations ahead of the winter, when infections are expected to rise, with data signaling sluggish progress in getting the shots.

It is the first winter since the government ended in March its free COVID-19 vaccinations for anyone aged 6 months or older. Those aged 65 years or older and others at risk, however, are eligible for shots at a reduced fee.

As of Friday, however, only about 4.57 million doses had been delivered to medical institutions out of a total of 32.24 million doses estimated to have been supplied for the winter season, according to Health, Labor and Welfare Minister Takamaro Fukuoka.

"We usually see the spread (of COVID-19) in the winter," the minister said as he called on more people to be inoculated.

The vaccination period has been set between Oct. 1 and March 31, targeting individuals aged 65 and above, and people aged between 60 and 64 with an underlying disease. Five vaccine products are available.

In Japan, around 32,500 people died of COVID-19 in the first year after most coronavirus-related guidelines were lifted in May 2023, with people aged 65 or older accounting for 97 percent of the total, according to statistics compiled by the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry.

In May 2023, the government downgraded the legal status of COVID-19 to the same category as seasonal influenza.