Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has offered an unusually personal glimpse into life at the country's official residence, saying that a seemingly trivial encounter with a cockroach left her feeling unexpectedly "lonely" after staff eventually removed it.Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, shared the story in a series of social media posts while responding to questions about the residence, where she moved in December.Despite working long hours and often spending weekends at the official residence, Takaichi said she had never encountered the ghosts that are reportedly associated with the building. Instead, her unexpected visitor was a cockroach.<h2>Cockroach: A companion for long work days</h2>Takaichi said she had been shocked when the insect suddenly ran past her feet despite her efforts to keep the residence clean.But she chose not to kill it. A lifelong fan of Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix manga, Takaichi said its themes of reincarnation and the interconnectedness of life had influenced her since childhood. "For the cockroach that ran through the official residence, I thought things like, 'maybe this life is also part of that long cycle of reincarnation,'" she wrote.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/if-iran-overplays-its-hand-us-won-t-rule-out-kinetic-strikes-on-tehran-war-secretary-hegseth-warns-as-economic-pressure-intensifies-1787629525309">'If Iran overplays its hand': US won't rule out 'kinetic strikes' on Tehran, War Secretary Hegseth warns</a>She decided to wait and hope the insect would eventually leave on its own. Her secretaries had other ideas.One of them reportedly declared, "It's unclean. I'll handle it," before organising what Takaichi jokingly called "Operation Combat".The cockroach was removed and, according to the prime minister, the sightings stopped. "I felt relieved, but also a little lonely, or maybe sad," Takaichi wrote.<h2>Takaichi prefers working alone</h2>The posts also offered a window into Takaichi's working habits. She said she prefers using the official residence rather than the prime minister's office because it reduces the burden on staff and security personnel."I have made it a point to actively utilise the prime minister's residence," she wrote, explaining that doing so allows her to keep the number of staff and special police officers involved to a minimum.She also said she generally prefers smaller meetings, with only the relevant secretary or staff member coming to the residence when an in-person discussion is necessary.Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/canada-us-trade-war-ontario-premier-doug-ford-slams-trump-calls-him-a-dictator-and-king-of-bankruptcies-1787618087063">Canada-US trade war: Ontario Premier Doug Ford slams Trump, calls him a 'dictator' and 'king of bankruptcies'</a><h2>Japan PM's extreme work schedule</h2>The 65-year-old prime minister has developed a reputation for working late into the night and through weekends, often surviving on very little sleep. In July, she said she had finally managed to get five hours of sleep after routinely getting between zero and three hours since taking office.<h2>Personal posts come amid political scrutiny</h2>Takaichi's posts came after reports questioning how frequently she attended parliamentary sessions and how much time she spent working from the residence.According to the material provided, Nikkei reported that she had spent more than half of her weekends and public holidays at the residence since becoming prime minister, while Bloomberg found that she had held the fewest cabinet meetings of any Japanese prime minister since 2012.The reports come as her approval rating has also fallen. A poll last month put her support at 41 per cent, down 10 percentage points in a month and below 50 per cent for the first time since her February election victory. &nbsp;

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has revealed an unexpectedly personal story from the country's official residence. A cockroach she chose not to kill was eventually removed by staff, leaving the prime minister feeling surprisingly "lonely".

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has offered an unusually personal glimpse into life at the country's official residence, saying that a seemingly trivial encounter with a cockroach left her feeling unexpectedly "lonely" after staff eventually removed it. Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, shared the story in a series of social media posts while responding to questions about the residence, where she moved in December. Despite working long hours and often spending weekends at the official residence, Takaichi said she had never encountered the ghosts that are reportedly associated with the building. Instead, her unexpected visitor was a cockroach. Cockroach: A companion for long work days Takaichi said she had been shocked when the insect suddenly ran past her feet despite her efforts to keep the residence clean. But she chose not to kill it. A lifelong fan of Osamu Tezuka's Phoenix manga, Takaichi said its themes of reincarnation and the interconnectedness of life had influenced her since childhood. "For the cockroach that ran through the official residence, I thought things like, 'maybe this life is also part of that long cycle of reincarnation,'" she wrote. Also read | 'If Iran overplays its hand': US won't rule out 'kinetic strikes' on Tehran, War Secretary Hegseth warns She decided to wait and hope the insect would eventually leave on its own. Her secretaries had other ideas. One of them reportedly declared, "It's unclean. I'll handle it," before organising what Takaichi jokingly called "Operation Combat". The cockroach was removed and, according to the prime minister, the sightings stopped. "I felt relieved, but also a little lonely, or maybe sad," Takaichi wrote. Takaichi prefers working alone The posts also offered a window into Takaichi's working habits. She said she prefers using the official residence rather than the prime minister's office because it reduces the burden on staff and security personnel. "I have made it a point to actively utilise the prime minister's residence," she wrote, explaining that doing so allows her to keep the number of staff and special police officers involved to a minimum. She also said she generally prefers smaller meetings, with only the relevant secretary or staff member coming to the residence when an in-person discussion is necessary. Also read | Canada-US trade war: Ontario Premier Doug Ford slams Trump, calls him a 'dictator' and 'king of bankruptcies' Japan PM's extreme work schedule The 65-year-old prime minister has developed a reputation for working late into the night and through weekends, often surviving on very little sleep. In July, she said she had finally managed to get five hours of sleep after routinely getting between zero and three hours since taking office. Personal posts come amid political scrutiny Takaichi's posts came after reports questioning how frequently she attended parliamentary sessions and how much time she spent working from the residence. According to the material provided, Nikkei reported that she had spent more than half of her weekends and public holidays at the residence since becoming prime minister, while Bloomberg found that she had held the fewest cabinet meetings of any Japanese prime minister since 2012. The reports come as her approval rating has also fallen. A poll last month put her support at 41 per cent, down 10 percentage points in a month and below 50 per cent for the first time since her February election victory.

Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has revealed an unexpectedly personal story from the country's official residence. A cockroach she chose not to kill was eventually removed by staff, leaving the prime minister feeling surprisingly "lonely".

Japan PM Sanae Takaichi says life at the top can be lonely, opens up about a cockroach

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces domestic backlash and Chinese accusations of hypocrisy after news broke that her 19-year-old step-grandson, Ren Yamamoto, enrolled in a four-year undergraduate programme at a top Chinese university this April. Ren is the son of Takaichi’s step-son, Ken Yamamoto.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/japanese-pm-takaichi-takes-tough-stance-on-china-warns-against-coercion-wion-1771601377193/embed">https://www.wionews.com/videos/japanese-pm-takaichi-takes-tough-stance-on-china-warns-against-coercion-wion-1771601377193/embed</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;Reports indicate Takaichi, who has maintained a strong pro-Taiwan stance, learned of his enrollment just before his departure. Displeased, she reportedly could not interfere with the decision. The situation has intensified public criticism. Social media users on X accused her of political hypocrisy, though others defended the move by noting that children of Chinese officials frequently study in the West.&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/who-is-sanae-takaichi-the-iron-lady-and-first-female-prime-minister-of-japan-1761046322525">Who is Sanae Takaichi? The ‘Iron Lady’ and first female Prime Minister of Japan</a> &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;This controversy unfolds amid severely strained Tokyo-Beijing relations, which plummeted last November after Takaichi suggested a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing, claiming sovereignty over Taiwan, demanded a retraction and retaliated with heavy economic measures. China reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports, accused Japan of seeking to remilitarise following its increased defence budget, and imposed severe export restrictions on "dual-use" technologies. Consequently, Japan downgraded its diplomatic description of ties with China to "strategic" and "mutually beneficial."&nbsp;Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/japan-s-sanae-takaichi-reappointed-as-prime-minister-after-massive-election-win-1771423670654">Japan’s Sanae Takaichi reappointed as Prime Minister after massive election win</a>&nbsp;The economic fallout includes Beijing halting major rare earth mineral exports to Japan since December, including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium oxide, and gallium. China publicly tightened these export controls multiple times, specifically targeting major conglomerates like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' shipbuilding and aero engine divisions. The severe disruption to manufacturing prompted the US administration to intervene, pressing Beijing to restart the rare earth shipments to prevent far-reaching damage to global supply chains. &nbsp;

Discover the political fallout as Japan PM Sanae Takaichi’s step-grandson enrolls in a Chinese university. The public reacts to the impact of this personal choice on tense Tokyo-Beijing relations.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi faces domestic backlash and Chinese accusations of hypocrisy after news broke that her 19-year-old step-grandson, Ren Yamamoto, enrolled in a four-year undergraduate programme at a top Chinese university this April. Ren is the son of Takaichi’s step-son, Ken Yamamoto. https://www.wionews.com/videos/japanese-pm-takaichi-takes-tough-stance-on-china-warns-against-coercion-wion-1771601377193/embed Reports indicate Takaichi, who has maintained a strong pro-Taiwan stance, learned of his enrollment just before his departure. Displeased, she reportedly could not interfere with the decision. The situation has intensified public criticism. Social media users on X accused her of political hypocrisy, though others defended the move by noting that children of Chinese officials frequently study in the West. Also read: Who is Sanae Takaichi? The ‘Iron Lady’ and first female Prime Minister of Japan This controversy unfolds amid severely strained Tokyo-Beijing relations, which plummeted last November after Takaichi suggested a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger a Japanese military response. Beijing, claiming sovereignty over Taiwan, demanded a retraction and retaliated with heavy economic measures. China reinstated a ban on Japanese seafood imports, accused Japan of seeking to remilitarise following its increased defence budget, and imposed severe export restrictions on "dual-use" technologies. Consequently, Japan downgraded its diplomatic description of ties with China to "strategic" and "mutually beneficial." Also read: Japan’s Sanae Takaichi reappointed as Prime Minister after massive election win The economic fallout includes Beijing halting major rare earth mineral exports to Japan since December, including dysprosium, terbium, yttrium oxide, and gallium. China publicly tightened these export controls multiple times, specifically targeting major conglomerates like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' shipbuilding and aero engine divisions. The severe disruption to manufacturing prompted the US administration to intervene, pressing Beijing to restart the rare earth shipments to prevent far-reaching damage to global supply chains.

Discover the political fallout as Japan PM Sanae Takaichi’s step-grandson enrolls in a Chinese university. The public reacts to the impact of this personal choice on tense Tokyo-Beijing relations.

Tokyo-Beijing Row deepens: Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi faces scrutiny over step-grandson's choice of Chinese University

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Japan PM Sanae Takaichi says life at the top can be lonely, opens up about a cockroach

Japanese PM faces scrutiny over step-grandson's choice of Chinese University