I Run the Country and Wash Dishes at Home’ Denies of the Arrest of a Japanese Journalist: Sanae Takaichi

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said that, alongside her demanding official duties, she also has to manage household chores. Speaking in parliament on Wednesday, Japan’s first female prime minister said that she wakes up in the morning, takes a bath, prepares breakfast, washes dishes, and applies makeup. According to Takaichi, completing all these tasks seems to take her three to four hours longer than it would for male prime ministers. Takaichi describes herself as a workaholic. She has previously revealed that she sleeps only two to four hours a night and sometimes schedules staff meetings as late as 3 a.m. The debate over the prime minister’s time management emerged after a member of the ruling coalition questioned the longstanding practice of Japanese prime ministers spending extended periods attending parliamentary sessions.

In Japan, the prime minister is required to spend between five and seven hours a day in parliament, where opposition lawmakers question the government leader or the prime minister participates in other parliamentary proceedings. Fumitake Fujita, a member of the Japan Innovation Party, cited a study showing that the Japanese prime minister attended parliamentary sessions on 72 days in 2022, compared with 50 days for the British prime minister and 13 days for the German chancellor. According to Fujita, the amount of time Japan’s prime minister spends in parliament is inconsistent with international practices. Takaichi acknowledged the importance of parliamentary debates on legislation but explained that reviewing documents brought home after work and preparing responses to parliamentary questions often keep her occupied until late at night. She said she enjoys reading these documents around midnight. However, she added that finding time to concentrate on Japan’s future direction and reflect on her broader vision has become difficult.

Japanese Prime Minister Rejects Russia’s Espionage Allegations

Meanwhile, following the arrest of a Japanese journalist in Russia, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has firmly rejected Moscow’s allegations that Japan is engaged in espionage activities on Russian territory. Takaichi said that no such incident had occurred and emphasized that ensuring the safety of the Japanese national was the government’s top priority. According to Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB), Japanese journalist Yuki Imai, who is affiliated with the Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper, collected information about Russia’s defense capabilities and attempted to pass it on to Japanese intelligence agencies.

Russian authorities say the journalist was detained in the eastern region of Sakhalin while preparing to leave Russia. He was subsequently transferred to Moscow, where a court ordered that he remain in custody for approximately two months. The Japanese government, however, says it has not yet been given an opportunity to communicate directly with the journalist. Tokyo has summoned the Russian ambassador to protest the arrest and demanded that the journalist be treated fairly and impartially. The Japanese government is also seeking permission for a consular visit to verify the journalist’s health and confirm his current circumstances.