Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a parliamentary committee she currently sleeps about two hours a night, at most four.
- She recently convened her office team at 3 a.m. to prepare for a Diet session scheduled six hours later.
- Opposition figures, including former prime minister Yoshihiko Noda, condemned the 3 a.m. meeting as unreasonable and raised concerns about staff welfare.
- Former economy minister Ken Saito said he was honestly worried about Takaichi’s health given her reported sleep schedule.
- The uproar has renewed focus on Japan’s 2019 overtime caps and ongoing proposals to relax those restrictions.