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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Justin McCurryin Tokyo

Two hours a night: Japan PM’s sleep schedule prompts concerns about work-life balance

Japan's prime minister Sanae Takaichi
Japan's prime minister Sanae Takaichi Photograph: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP/Getty Images

Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, has said she gets by on just two to four hours sleep a night – prompting concern over her commitment to a better work-life balance among the country’s fatigued employees.

Pointing to the bags beneath her eyes, Takaichi told MPs that she survives on minimal sleep – a habit she shares with her political hero Margaret Thatcher – after being asked how she would tackle Japan’s notoriously long working hours.

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