What is up with the influenza panic here?

Hi.

So I got an email from my company to sign up for the influenza vaccine (paid by them) or not be covered by insurance if anything happens. (Don't even know how insurance covers a sickness unless it gets really bad though)

It seemed like we were preparing for a pandemic or something, so I wanna ask, is influenza something else here instead of the normal flu?

What is special here that makes a vaccine be pushed on you? Is the flu in Japan so much worse or something?

I mean, I don't plan on taking a shot that will have me out with fever the next 1 day or 2 just to lower the, from what I am used to, already low chances of getting sick. (And I have always been pro vaccination when the situation requires.)

But this is with the flu from back home. Where it was common sense that you won't knock yourself out 2 days for a flu that lasts 5 on the low chance you get it. Is the virus so much worse here?

Thanks

Edit: or maybe I am mistaken and the vaccine doesn't have bad effects? But I do usually react badly to vaccines. At least the covid one is the last one I remember and that was my worst "sickness"