Overview
- Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told a parliamentary committee she typically sleeps about two hours, at most four, acknowledging the strain as she leads the new government.
- Takaichi recently called her staff to a 3 a.m. session to prepare for parliament, a timing former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda labeled “crazy,” according to reports.
- Supporters argue the late meeting followed opposition questions arriving too late for normal preparation, shifting blame to parliamentary procedures.
- Japan’s labor reforms cap overtime at 45 hours per month and 360 hours per year, with defined exceptions that can reach 100 hours in special cases.
- The dispute feeds into ongoing discussions about loosening overtime limits, with Takaichi portrayed as influential in proposals that critics say favor employers.