Politics · Japan · 2 hrs ago
Takaichi says housework makes her busier than male predecessors
Sanae Takaichi says housework makes her busier than male predecessors.
She described what she does in the morning.
She bathes, makes breakfast and washes dishes before mentioning another part of her routine.
She also said she applies makeup.
Takaichi compared her workload with that of male predecessors but gave no further details in her remarks.
Her comments link household chores with her busy schedule as prime minister.
The remarks do not say what she plans to do next.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said household duties add three or four hours to her day compared with male predecessors.
She described bathing, preparing breakfast, washing dishes and applying make-up as part of her morning routine.
Takaichi made the remarks to Parliament on Oct. 14, 2026, during a discussion about the long hours prime ministers spend in parliamentary sessions.
She has previously described herself as a workaholic and said she sleeps two to four hours a night.
A lawmaker cited figures showing Japan’s prime minister attended parliamentary sessions more often in 2022 than leaders in the United Kingdom and Germany.
- Who
- Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s prime minister.
- What
- She said household duties make her spend three or four more hours than male predecessors on daily tasks.
- When
- Oct. 14, 2026.
- Where
- Japan’s Parliament.
- Why
- The remarks came during a discussion about the long hours Japanese prime ministers spend attending parliamentary sessions.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Japan’s prime minister attended parliamentary sessions for 72 days, compared with 50 days in the United Kingdom and 13 in Germany, according to figures cited by Fumitake Fujita.
Takaichi wrote on X that she was working until dawn on documents brought home from work and parliamentary questions.
Takaichi told Parliament that household duties add three or four hours to her day compared with male prime ministers.
- Household duties
- Three or four more hours than male predecessors, according to Takaichi
- Morning routine
- Bathing, preparing breakfast, washing dishes and applying make-up
- Parliamentary sessions in 2022
- Japan: 72 days; United Kingdom: 50 days; Germany: 13 days
- Sleep
- Takaichi has previously said she sleeps two to four hours a night
- First woman prime minister
- Sanae Takaichi was elected in 2025
3 sources
What people are saying
I feel like I’m spending three or four more hours than male prime ministers doing these things.
The fact that our leader is confined for such long hours to parliament isn’t in line with the global standards.