Japan's 'Iron Lady' reveals jaw-dropping sleep schedule, prompting at least one call for her resignation

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Donald Trump.

Sanae Takaichi, Japan's conservative prime minister who took office last October and, early this yea,r won a sweeping victory in snap parliamentary elections, found herself embroiled in controversy this week after revealing her sleep schedule, which prompted at least one political opponent to call for her resignation. 

Takaichi, 65, who is nicknamed Japan's "Iron Lady," revealed in a lengthy post on X earlier this week that ever since she took over as prime minister last year, "zero-to-three hours [of sleep] has been the norm." Her post was made on Sea Day, a national holiday in Japan, known for its grueling work schedules, during which people head to the beach or otherwise try to catch some summer relaxation. In Takaichi's post, which has racked up more than 36 million views and counting, she said, "Today’s holiday felt like such a true blessing -- finally getting a full five hours of sleep for the first time in ages."

Takaichi, who has been especially friendly to the Trump administration since her arrival as prime minister, appears to share similar sleeping habits with the American president. During President Trump's first term, then-White House doctor Ronny Jackson told reporters while giving a briefing on Trump's medical checkup, "I would say he sleeps four to five hours a night.” According to scientists, a very small fraction of the population -- dubbed "short sleepers" -- is able to function on just a few hours of sleep each night. It's possible Trump and Takaichi are both short sleepers. 

The prime minister went on to reveal that since the beginning of July, she's "been holed up at the residence, poring over thick stacks of documents," and reported that she spent hours on household chores, like ironing the handkerchiefs and undergarments from untouched loads of laundry, plus some sewing."

Takaichi's post struck a chord on both sides of Japan's political aisle, and triggered a national debate about proper work-life balance as well as potential health costs of not getting enough sleep.

One political opponent, a member of parliament named Hiroyuki Konishi, urged Takaichi to resign, saying, “The prime minister’s actual job is to set policy directions and issue instructions, not to pore over every last detail of a document,” according to The New York Times. Others questioned whether sleep deprivation could be impairing her decision-making judgment. One conservative-leaning political leader acknowledged that Takaichi is hard-working, but said "resting is also a job," the Times reported. 

But supporters of Takaichi jumped to her defense, questioning whether those in supportive roles in her administration should be doing some of the chores that appear to be taking up a portion of the prime minister's time, in turn freeing her up to focus on the prime minister job. Some, pointing to the fact that Takaichi is Japan's first woman prime minister, noted that the spouses of previous prime ministers have historically picked up some of the domestic duties. Takaichi remarried her husband in 2021 and the two previously divorced. 

Ayano Kunimitsu, a foreign minister and member of parliament, called on others to exercise restraint in criticizing Takaichi over her meager sleep schedule. “Each person has their own circumstances and behind-the-scenes stories,” Kunimitsu said in a post on X. “I would be grateful if you could understand.”

Trump and Takaichi are not the first world leaders to eschew a full eight hours of sleep each night. Former German Chancellor Angela Merkel famously joked that she was a "sleep camel" because she typically slept for about three hours on weeknights while allowing herself to catch up with full nights of sleep on weekend. And French President Emmanuel Macron is known for sleeping only four to five hours each night.