A social media post by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi detailing her sleep schedule has triggered a national debate on overwork and the pressures of high office. After the Marine Day holiday, Takaichi wrote on X that she had managed five hours of sleep for the first time in a long while, noting that since taking office “getting zero to three hours of sleep has become the norm.” The post, viewed more than 31 million times, described her weekend spent poring over policy documents and catching up on domestic chores such as ironing underwear and sewing buttons.

Opposition lawmakers swiftly condemned the remarks. Toru Kunishige, a legislator, warned that prolonged sleep deprivation “affects judgment — much like a state of drunkenness — and could pose a risk for managing national crises.” Hiroyuki Konishi, another critic in parliament, called for her resignation, arguing that the prime minister’s real job is to set policy directions, not scrutinise every document. Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People, said that “resting is also part of her job” and suggested she focus on decisions only a prime minister can make.

Allies defended Takaichi, Japan’s first female premier. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara stated that she understands the importance of work-life balance and is making decisions “for the good of the nation and the people.” Vice Foreign Minister Ayano Kunimitsu noted that Takaichi, like other politicians, faces pressure to handle household tasks herself. Yoko Iwama, a professor at the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies, argued in the Nikkei newspaper that establishing a support system enabling a female prime minister to concentrate fully on her duties — without personally managing domestic work — would contribute to the advancement of women in society. Li Hao, an associate professor at the University of Tokyo, said the post may be an appeal to conservative voters by showing she maintains both political work and traditional gender roles.

The episode has exposed a widening gap between entrenched work norms and evolving public attitudes. Japan has long grappled with a culture of excessive overtime, encapsulated by the term karoshi, or death from overwork. Takaichi herself has previously declared she would abandon the phrase “work-life balance” and urged party members to “work like workhorses.” James Brown, a professor at Temple University, Japan, said her view is “increasingly an outlier” and that she represents a traditional outlook many have moved away from. Li Hao noted that the backlash suggests the public’s “value system is changing,” with more people recognising that the burden of housekeeping should not fall solely on women. Takaichi’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment. She is pushing to pass legislative priorities before parliament’s summer recess begins on Saturday, while contending with a weak yen and a recent dip in popularity.