“I Sleep Zero to Three Hours a Night”: Japan’s Prime Minister Sparks a National Debate

Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has ignited a public uproar in recent days after revealing in a social media post that she managed to sleep for five uninterrupted hours for the first time “in ages.” According to Takaichi, that actually marked an improvement over her normal routine, in which she usually sleeps just “zero to three hours” a night. The post, which has been viewed more than 31 million times, quickly became a major topic in Japan’s public conversation and opened a broader discussion about the country’s work culture, work-life balance, and the health effects of chronic sleep deprivation.

Her remarks came after the “Marine Day” weekend—a national holiday observed each year on the third Monday of July. While many people across Japan use the holiday to recharge and rest, Takaichi chose to spend it working.

In the post, she said she devoted the weekend to rereading official documents and dealing with a backlog of thousands of emails. At the same time, she described using her free time for routine household chores as well, including “ironing underwear, sewing fraying skirts, and tightening loose coat buttons.”

It appears that Takaichi was trying to present herself as a hardworking, down-to-earth leader who never stops working, even during a national holiday. But many in Japan took the message differently, expressing concern about the amount of sleep she reported getting and the possible implications of ongoing exhaustion in someone leading the country.

Toru Kunishige, an opposition lawmaker, warned that prolonged sleep deprivation “harms judgment, much like intoxication—and could pose a risk in handling a national crisis.” Another lawmaker, Hiroyuki Konishi, went even further, calling for the prime minister’s resignation and arguing that “the prime minister’s real job is to set policy direction and issue instructions—not to dive into every last detail of every document.”

Still, others came to her defense. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of a popular conservative populist party, described Takaichi as a dedicated worker, while emphasizing that “rest is also work.”

On social media, some voices also argued that the prime minister needs more help managing everyday life. According to those critics, unlike previous prime ministers whose wives helped with household responsibilities, Takaichi appears to be carrying most of those tasks herself.

This is not the first time Takaichi’s work habits have drawn criticism. As recently as last November, she faced backlash after summoning members of her staff at 3:00 a.m. She later explained that the fax machine in her home had broken, so she needed her aides’ help getting to another office and preparing for a meeting.

Takaichi made history last October when she was elected the first woman in Japan’s history to serve as prime minister. Her election came after a prolonged period of political instability, following the resignation of her predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba, who left the prime minister’s office after just one year after a crushing election defeat.