I make breakfast and wash dishes in the morning: Japan’s Prime Minister

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has said that being a woman means she has to spend three to four more hours on daily tasks than her male predecessors. NBC News reported the remarks on Friday (October 16).

Speaking during a parliamentary session on Wednesday, Takaichi said: “I get up in the morning, take a shower, prepare breakfast and wash the dishes before putting on my makeup. These tasks take me three to four hours longer than male prime ministers.”

Her comments have drawn widespread criticism, with critics arguing that they reinforce outdated gender stereotypes and Japan’s culture of excessive working hours.

Lawyers, rights activists and members of the public have taken to social media to argue that domestic responsibilities should not be used to justify poor time management or unnecessarily long working hours.

Takaichi has also faced criticism for saying that she sleeps only zero to three hours a day, with detractors warning that such remarks send the wrong message about work-life balance.

Political pressure on the prime minister has also mounted following the resignation of her newly appointed agriculture minister, Kazuo Yana, amid a series of scandals.

Fu Mitake Fujita, leader of the Japan Innovation Party, urged lawmakers to reduce the lengthy hours of parliamentary sessions.

Citing research by NXJI Research, he also proposed hiring a chef and domestic staff at the prime minister’s official residence so that Takaichi could focus exclusively on her duties as head of government.