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Japanese PM sleep‑deprivation controversy

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2026-07-28 22:16 UTC → 2026-07-31 01:38 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s admission on 20 July 2026 that she had slept only five hours – and that “zero to three hours of sleep has become the norm” since taking office – sparked criticism from opposition lawmakers, who warned that chronic sleep deprivation could impair judgment, especially as the yen slid to a 40‑year low and the government’s approval rating fell to around 40 percent. The post, shared during the Marine Day holiday and viewed over 30 million times, highlighted a demanding routine that included reviewing policy documents, answering thousands of emails and handling household chores such as ironing and sewing. On 22 July, opponents likened the risk to drunkenness, while health experts warned of threats to cognition, emotion and cardiovascular health. Party officials defended Takaichi’s dedication, though some senior LDP members privately urged her to rest, keeping the episode in the spotlight as a test of Japan’s over‑work culture. By 24 July, Takaichi said she now gets only three hours of sleep each night, prompting further medical warnings about weakened immunity, heart risk and reduced lifespan, and noting that up to 40 % of adults over 60 suffer insomnia. A week later, neurologist Luigi Ferini Strambi of Milan’s San Raffaele Hospital labelled the prime minister’s claim “deeply misguided,” warning that such extreme sleep restriction could encourage dangerous norms, increase risks of heart disease, hypertension, diabetes, stroke, dementia and certain cancers, and exacerbate Japan’s existing karōshi problem.

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