SBS News

News > World

"Sleeping Under 3 Hours a Day," Takaichi Skips Summer Vacation

Park Jaehyeon

Published : Aug 11, 2026 11:08 PM


▲ Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will forgo a separate vacation during the parliamentary recess—a period traditionally used by past prime ministers for overseas trips or summer holidays—to focus entirely on her duties, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported on August 11.

Takaichi reportedly plans to forego a summer vacation during Japan's Obon festival in mid-August, choosing instead to handle post-recovery efforts for the Kumamoto earthquake and prepare for the extraordinary parliamentary session in the autumn.

She had planned to return to her hometown and constituency in Nara Prefecture, but canceled the trip and has no plans for overseas travel.

An aide close to Takaichi told Yomiuri, "There are no plans for an extended summer vacation. Whether she goes to work will be determined based on whether there are tasks that need to be handled that day."

Since taking office, Takaichi has noted that her sleeping hours are extremely short due to reading work documents, caring for her ailing husband, and doing household chores herself, meaning she will not even take the opportunity for a long-awaited break.

Last month, Takaichi posted on X (formerly Twitter) that "sleeping 0 to 3 hours has become a routine since taking office as prime minister," sharing her daily life of reading documents and doing housework until the early morning hours, which prompted both concerns about her health and calls for proper time management.

(Photo: Getty Images)