Tokyo:
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi had a current run-in with a cockroach at her official residence however discovered herself unexpectedly “lonely” and “unhappy” after the pest was gone. The 65-year-old Japanese chief, identified for her lively presence on social media, detailed the stunning incident whereas answering questions concerning the prime minister’s official residence in Tokyo.
Taking to X, Takaichi famous that one of many questions she typically encounters is, “Have you ever already met the ghosts which are stated to seem within the official residence?”
The inquiry is rooted in legends that the PM’s official residence was haunted by spirits of people that died throughout two bloody coup makes an attempt within the Thirties. Takaichi moved into the official residence in December, a brick-and-stone mansion that opened in 1929 and was once the unique prime minister’s workplace till its substitute was constructed proper subsequent to it.
The Cockroach Drawback
Answering, Takaichi stated that she has not seen any ghosts within the residence. Nevertheless, she stated that she encountered one thing that made her scream: cockroaches.
“I’ve by no means encountered a ghost, however till lately, I used to be the one screaming once I got here throughout cockroaches,” she wrote in a publish made on August 22.
公邸について書きましたので、よく頂くご質問についても、お答えします。
「公邸にはオバケが出るそうですが、もう会いましたか？」
私は、オバケに会ったことは無いのですが、先日までは、ゴキブリに会って叫び声を上げていました。…
— 高市早苗 (@takaichi_sanae) August 22, 2026
She famous that when she lived within the members’ dormitory, she by no means had an encounter with cockroaches.
“Even after transferring to the official residence, I rigorously wiped down the ground underneath the eating desk, put meals scraps in a sturdy lidded rubbish can, and washed and sorted plastic containers, so I used to be shocked when, someday, a cockroach all of the sudden scurried previous my toes,” she recounted.
Takaichi defined that she has been influenced by the idea of reincarnation in Osamu Tezuka’s manga Phoenix and was unable to “convey myself to kill bugs, together with cockroaches.”
“For the cockroach that ran via the official residence, I believed issues like, “Perhaps this life can also be a part of that lengthy cycle of reincarnation,” and for some time, I endured it, hoping it might by some means go away by itself,” she wrote,
However, in line with the prime minister, when she advised her secretaries concerning the pest drawback, they had been appalled.
“”It is unclean. I am going to deal with it,” one of many secretaries stated firmly, and organized for Operation Fight. After that, the cockroaches stopped showing,” she wrote.
“I felt relieved, but additionally somewhat lonely, or possibly unhappy,” Takaichi added.
Sanae Takaichi’s Work From Dwelling
Takaichi, who’s more and more seen secluding herself at house, final week stated that she is utilizing her official residence subsequent to her workplace extra for work to maximise effectivity.
Takaichi stated on X that residing within the official residence, or “kotei,” is nice as a result of its proximity requires no commute and lets her instantly get all the way down to work in time of an emergency.
She stated she has strengthened workplace capabilities on the residence so she will be able to work and have conferences there remotely or in individual along with her workers every time wanted, even after workplace hours. She additionally takes house paperwork to learn.
“To me, the official residence can also be a office,” she stated.
However Takaichi, whose work mantra and her current revelation on X of zero to a few hours of sleep at night time due to her homemaking burden on prime of her heavy workload as prime minister, triggered criticisms that Japan’s first feminine chief was setting a flawed instance for work-life steadiness and gender equality.
The Japanese premier has seen her help scores quickly drop as she pushed unpopular insurance policies equivalent to a revision to the Imperial Home Legislation to bolster a male-only succession system, whereas delaying financial measures to handle rising costs.
Media studies have stated that the PM was avoiding parliamentary periods and largely holed up on the residence at night time and on weekends, saying that she’s having considerably fewer interactions with different lawmakers and officers than her predecessors. Takaichi continuously posts feedback and insurance policies on X as an alternative of speaking to the media.
