Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takauchi criticized after no‑sleep social media post

On July 20, Prime Minister Sanae Takauchi posted on X claiming she had been working from early morning to late night, handling thousands of emails, reading thick documents, and sleeping only 0–3 hours per day since taking office. She noted that on the holiday Marine Day she finally managed five hours of sleep and did household chores. The post was viewed over 37 million times in Japan and attracted coverage abroad, including the UK’s Independent, which likened the stunt to Margaret Thatcher’s “Iron Lady” work ethic.

The self‑promoted “no‑sleep” message sparked criticism from politicians, experts, and the public, who argued that glorifying sleep deprivation is unhealthy and raises concerns for crisis management. Recent polls show Takauchi’s cabinet approval falling to 41 % with disapproval at 44 %, and support among 18‑29‑year‑olds, once at 92 %, has sharply declined, signalling a loss of the earlier “Takauchi boom” among younger voters.