Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she does not get enough sleep and has problems with housework and her job. (CEFR Compare)

Apr 24, 2026, 10:22

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi says she does not get enough sleep and has problems with housework and her job.

Introduction

She has been Prime Minister for six months. She says she does not sleep enough. She also finds it hard to do housework and her government work. Many politicians say they are worried about her.

Main Body

During a meeting with former trade minister Akira Amari, Takaichi said she wanted more rest. Earlier, she told a committee that she had very little free time because of housework. She said she sleeps only two to four hours each night. She said this is bad for her skin. She also said she cannot buy food or order takeout from the official residence. She only has frozen food. When it is gone, she has no food. Amari said she talked about this problem with him. Soon after she became Prime Minister, she called a meeting at 3 a.m. to prepare for a budget meeting at 9 a.m. This worried many politicians from both the ruling party and the opposition. Amari said he was ''honestly worried'' about her health. One opposition lawmaker told her to sleep more. Takaichi says she likes former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. Thatcher slept only four hours a night and said she did not need more sleep. Takaichi''s campaign slogan was ''work, work, work, work, and work''. It was named Japan''s catchphrase of the year for 2025. Sleep is an important issue in Japan. Many people work very long hours. This can cause death from overwork, called ''karoshi''. For many years, Japan has tried to change its work culture. A study in March found that Japanese adults sleep an average of 7 hours and 1 minute on weekdays. That is 38 minutes less than the world average. It is also less than in the US, UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Takaichi is a hardline conservative. She follows the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. She wants to move Japan to the right. She moved into the prime minister''s residence with her husband last year. She said her husband tried to bring work home instead of staying late at the office. He did this to avoid keeping aides and security waiting at night.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Takaichi says she does not get enough sleep and has trouble with housework and her job. This shows her very busy schedule and the problem of overwork in Japan. She admires leaders who slept very little. But her own words have made colleagues and opposition members worried.

Vocabulary Learning

food

Things you eat, like rice, vegetables, or meat食物

Example:She only has frozen food in the official residence.

housework

Work done in a home, like cleaning and cooking家務

Example:She finds it hard to do housework and her government work.

job

Work that you do to earn money工作

Example:She has problems with housework and her job.

sleep

To rest with your eyes closed and your body still睡覺

Example:She sleeps only two to four hours each night.

work

To do a job or task; also the job itself工作

Example:Her campaign slogan was 'work, work, work, work, and work'.

Sentence Learning

She has been Prime Minister for six months.

Simple present perfect tense: 'has been' indicates a state that started in the past and continues.本句使用現在完成式 'has been'，表示從過去開始並持續到現在的狀態。

She says she does not sleep enough.

Simple present tense: 'says' and 'does not sleep' describe current habits or facts.本句使用現在簡單式 'says' 以及 'does not sleep'，描述當前的習慣或事實。

She sleeps only two to four hours each night.

Simple present tense: 'sleeps' describes a regular action.本句使用現在簡單式 'sleeps'，描述一個經常發生的動作。

She cannot buy food or order takeout from the official residence.

Modal verb 'cannot' expresses inability. 'or' connects two alternatives.本句使用情態動詞 'cannot' 表示無能力，'or' 連接兩個選項。

Many people work very long hours.

Simple present tense: 'work' describes a general fact.本句使用現在簡單式 'work'，描述一個普遍的事實。

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Reports Lack of Sleep and Difficulty Balancing Home and Work Duties

Introduction

Six months into her premiership, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly described experiencing long-term lack of sleep and difficulties managing household tasks alongside her governmental duties. These disclosures have prompted expressions of concern from political figures across the spectrum.

Main Body

During a meeting with former trade minister Akira Amari on an unspecified Thursday, Takaichi reportedly indicated a desire for more rest. This followed earlier statements to a parliamentary committee in which she described her free time as "quite short" because she was busy with housework, with the rest of her time spent on official work. She stated that she slept only two to four hours per night, adding that this pattern was likely bad for her skin. Takaichi also noted limitations on getting food, explaining that she is not allowed to shop or order takeout from the official residence, and that running out of frozen food would leave her without meal options. Amari confirmed that similar difficulties with meal management were raised during their meeting. Shortly after taking office, Takaichi called aides for a 3 a.m. meeting to prepare for a budget committee hearing scheduled six hours later. This incident, along with her overall workload, caused concern from both ruling and opposition party members. Amari stated he was "honestly worried" about her health, and an opposition lawmaker urged her to get more sleep. Takaichi has publicly said that former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher is a major inspiration; Thatcher was known for sleeping only four hours per night and publicly saying she didn''t need rest. Takaichi’s own campaign slogan—"work, work, work, work, and work"—was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year for 2025 after she won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership contest in October of the previous year. The issue of sleep is especially important in Japan, where long working hours are often mentioned as a cause of karoshi (death from overwork). Efforts to change a corporate culture that expects late hours and after-work socializing have been happening for decades. A study released on World Sleep Day in March found that Japanese adults averaged seven hours and one minute of sleep on weekdays, 38 minutes below the international average and less than the averages in the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Takaichi, described as a strong conservative and a follower of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has been open about her wish to move Japan clearly to the right. After moving into the prime minister’s residence with her husband late last year, she stated that he tried to bring work home rather than stay late at the office, in order to avoid keeping aides and security personnel on standby into the night.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Takaichi’s reported lack of sleep and challenges in managing domestic responsibilities have drawn attention to her demanding schedule and the broader context of overwork in Japan. While she has expressed admiration for leaders who minimized rest, her own statements have prompted expressions of concern from colleagues and opposition members alike.

Vocabulary Learning

catchphrase

A well-known, often repeated phrase associated with a person or group.口號，流行語

Example:Takaichi’s own campaign slogan was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year.

on standby

In a state of readiness to be used or to act immediately.待命，隨時準備

Example:to avoid keeping aides and security personnel on standby into the night.

prompted

Caused or made someone to do something.促使，引起

Example:These disclosures have prompted expressions of concern from political figures.

run out of

To use up all of something, leaving none left.耗盡，用光

Example:running out of frozen food would leave her without meal options.

urged

Strongly advised or encouraged someone to do something.力勸，敦促

Example:an opposition lawmaker urged her to get more sleep.

Sentence Learning

This followed earlier statements to a parliamentary committee in which she described her free time as 'quite short' because she was busy with housework, with the rest of her time spent on official work.

This sentence uses a relative clause 'in which' to give more information about the committee. 'Because' shows the reason for her free time being short. The phrase 'with the rest of her time spent' adds extra detail about how she uses her time.呢句句子用咗關係從句「in which」嚟補充關於委員會嘅資訊。「Because」表示佢空閒時間短嘅原因。而「with the rest of her time spent」呢個短語就加插咗佢點樣運用其餘時間嘅細節。

Takaichi also noted limitations on getting food, explaining that she is not allowed to shop or order takeout from the official residence, and that running out of frozen food would leave her without meal options.

This sentence uses 'explaining that' to link the reason for the limitations. The passive voice 'is not allowed' shows that someone else restricts her. The structure 'and that' connects two parallel points about food restrictions.呢句句子用咗「explaining that」嚟連接限制嘅原因。被動語態「is not allowed」表示係由其他人限制佢。而「and that」嘅結構就將兩個關於食物限制嘅並列要點連接起嚟。

The issue of sleep is especially important in Japan, where long working hours are often mentioned as a cause of karoshi (death from overwork).

The relative clause 'where' refers to Japan and adds information about the context. The passive voice 'are often mentioned' is used to report a common belief without specifying who mentions it.關係從句「where」指日本，並補充咗背景資訊。被動語態「are often mentioned」用嚟報告一個普遍嘅講法，而唔指明邊個講。

Efforts to change a corporate culture that expects late hours and after-work socializing have been happening for decades.

The relative clause 'that expects' describes the corporate culture. The present perfect continuous 'have been happening' shows an action that started in the past and continues to the present.關係從句「that expects」描述咗企業文化。現在完成進行式「have been happening」表示一個由過去開始並持續到而家嘅動作。

While she has expressed admiration for leaders who minimized rest, her own statements have prompted expressions of concern from colleagues and opposition members alike.

'While' introduces a contrast between her admiration and the concern her statements caused. The relative clause 'who minimized rest' gives more information about the leaders.「While」表示對比，對比佢嘅欽佩同佢嘅言論引起嘅擔憂。「who minimized rest」係關係從句，描述呢啲領袖。

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Reports Insufficient Sleep and Challenges Balancing Domestic Duties with Official Responsibilities

Introduction

Six months into her premiership, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has reportedly described experiencing chronic sleep deprivation and difficulties managing household tasks alongside her governmental duties. These disclosures have prompted expressions of concern from political figures across the spectrum.

Main Body

During a meeting with former trade minister Akira Amari on an unspecified Thursday, Takaichi reportedly indicated a desire for additional rest. This followed earlier statements to a parliamentary committee in which she characterized her downtime as ''quite short'' due to being occupied with housework, with the remainder of her time devoted to official work. She stated that her nightly sleep duration ranged from two to four hours, adding that this pattern was likely detrimental to her skin. Takaichi also noted constraints on food procurement, explaining that she is not permitted to shop or order takeout from the official residence, and that depletion of frozen food supplies would leave her without meal options. Amari confirmed that similar difficulties with meal management were raised during their meeting. Shortly after assuming office, Takaichi convened aides for a 3 a.m. meeting to prepare for a budget committee hearing scheduled six hours later. This incident, along with her overall workload, elicited concern from both ruling and opposition party members. Amari stated he was ''honestly worried'' about her health, and an opposition lawmaker urged her to increase her sleep. Takaichi has publicly identified former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher as a major inspiration; Thatcher was known for operating on four hours of sleep per night and publicly dismissing the need for rest. Takaichi’s own campaign slogan—''work, work, work, work, and work''—was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year for 2025 after she won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership contest in October of the previous year. The issue of sleep carries particular significance in Japan, where extended working hours are frequently cited as a cause of karoshi (death from overwork). Efforts to reform a corporate culture that expects late hours and after-work socializing have been ongoing for decades. A study released on World Sleep Day in March found that Japanese adults averaged seven hours and one minute of sleep on weekdays, 38 minutes below the international average and less than the averages in the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada. Takaichi, described as a hardline conservative and a follower of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has made no secret of her desire to steer Japan in a decisively rightward direction. After moving into the prime minister’s residence with her husband late last year, she stated that he attempted to bring work home rather than remain late at the office, in order to avoid keeping aides and security personnel on standby into the night.

Conclusion

Prime Minister Takaichi’s reported sleep deprivation and challenges in managing domestic responsibilities have drawn attention to her demanding schedule and the broader context of overwork in Japan. While she has expressed admiration for leaders who minimized rest, her own admissions have prompted expressions of concern from colleagues and opposition members alike.

Vocabulary Learning

depletion

The reduction in the number or quantity of something.枯渇、減少

Example:The depletion of frozen food supplies meant she had no meal options.

elicit

To evoke or draw out (a response, reaction, or fact) from someone.引き出す、誘発する

Example:Her workload and the 3 a.m. meeting elicited concern from lawmakers.

karoshi

A Japanese term for death from overwork.過労死

Example:Extended working hours are frequently cited as a cause of karoshi in Japan.

premiership

The office or term of a prime minister.首相職、首相在任期間

Example:Six months into her premiership, Takaichi reported chronic sleep deprivation.

procurement

The act of obtaining or acquiring something, especially supplies.調達、購入

Example:Constraints on food procurement left her with limited meal options.

Sentence Learning

Takaichi also noted constraints on food procurement, explaining that she is not permitted to shop or order takeout from the official residence, and that depletion of frozen food supplies would leave her without meal options.

Main clause: 'Takaichi also noted constraints on food procurement'. A participial phrase 'explaining that ... and that ...' contains two parallel noun clauses. The second noun clause uses 'would' to indicate a hypothetical conditional (depletion leading to lack of meals). Advanced features: participial phrase with parallel that-clauses, conditional implication.主要子句為「Takaichi also noted constraints on food procurement」；分詞短語「explaining that ... and that ...」包含兩個並列名詞子句；第二個名詞子句使用「would」表示假設條件（食物耗盡導致無餐可吃）。高級結構：分詞短語後接並列that子句，條件式用法。

Takaichi’s own campaign slogan—''work, work, work, work, and work''—was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year for 2025 after she won the Liberal Democratic Party leadership contest in October of the previous year.

Main clause: 'Takaichi’s own campaign slogan was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year for 2025'. An appositive phrase set off by dashes provides the slogan. A temporal subordinate clause 'after she won ...' modifies the main clause. Advanced features: appositive interruption for emphasis, subordinate clause with precise time reference.主要子句為「Takaichi’s own campaign slogan was named Japan’s catchphrase of the year for 2025」；破折號插入的同位語提供口號內容；時間從句「after she won ...」修飾主句。高級結構：同位語插入以強調，時間從句精確指涉。

A study released on World Sleep Day in March found that Japanese adults averaged seven hours and one minute of sleep on weekdays, 38 minutes below the international average and less than the averages in the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Canada.

Main clause: 'A study ... found that ...'. The subject 'A study' is postmodified by a reduced relative clause 'released on World Sleep Day in March'. The that-clause contains a complex object: 'Japanese adults averaged ...' followed by two appositive comparative phrases '38 minutes below ... and less than ...'. Advanced features: reduced relative clause, multiple appositives for comparison, high lexical density.主要子句為「A study ... found that ...」；主語「A study」後接縮減關係子句「released on World Sleep Day in March」；that子句內含複雜賓語：「Japanese adults averaged ...」後接兩個同位比較短語「38 minutes below ... and less than ...」。高級結構：縮減關係子句，多重同位語作比較，詞彙密度高。

Takaichi, described as a hardline conservative and a follower of the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, has made no secret of her desire to steer Japan in a decisively rightward direction.

Main clause: 'Takaichi ... has made no secret of her desire to steer Japan in a decisively rightward direction'. The subject 'Takaichi' is interrupted by a participial phrase 'described as ...' providing additional description. The object 'her desire' is followed by an infinitive phrase 'to steer ...'. Advanced features: participial phrase as non-restrictive modifier, infinitive of purpose, lexical choices ('hardline', 'decisively rightward').主要子句為「Takaichi ... has made no secret of her desire to steer Japan in a decisively rightward direction」；主語「Takaichi」被分詞短語「described as ...」打斷以補充描述；賓語「her desire」後接不定詞短語「to steer ...」。高級結構：分詞短語作非限制性修飾，不定詞表示目的，詞彙選擇（「hardline」、「decisively rightward」）。

After moving into the prime minister’s residence with her husband late last year, she stated that he attempted to bring work home rather than remain late at the office, in order to avoid keeping aides and security personnel on standby into the night.

Main clause: 'she stated that ...'. A temporal subordinate clause 'After moving ...' precedes the main clause. The that-clause contains the object: 'he attempted to bring work home rather than remain late at the office', followed by an infinitive of purpose 'in order to avoid keeping ...'. Advanced features: temporal clause with gerund, comparative structure 'rather than', purpose infinitive with complex object 'keeping ... on standby'.主要子句為「she stated that ...」；時間從句「After moving ...」置於主句前；that子句內含賓語：「he attempted to bring work home rather than remain late at the office」，後接目的不定詞「in order to avoid keeping ...」。高級結構：時間從句使用動名詞，比較結構「rather than」，目的不定詞後接複雜賓語「keeping ... on standby」。