Takaichi summoned advisors to her residence in the early hours to prepare for the 9 a.m. Budget Committee session, citing a malfunctioning fax machine at home as the reason. The move, dubbed the “3 AM Study Session” by local media, drew sharp criticism from former Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, who described it as “madness” and emphasized that dragging staff into such hours is unacceptable.
The controversy coincides with government plans to raise Japan’s overtime cap, currently limited to 45 hours per month beyond an eight-hour workday. Takaichi has publicly supported increasing this limit, prompting fears that her leadership style could intensify pressure on employees.
Japan’s culture of extreme work hours dates back to the post-World War II era, when long hours were encouraged to rebuild the economy under the “lifetime employment” model. The practice led to widespread health issues, with sudden deaths from overwork, or karoshi, being documented from the 1960s onward. Notable cases include a manager who logged 8,010 overtime hours before dying in the 1980s and Miyazaki, who worked 4,320 hours in a single year.
Public outrage peaked in 2015 following the suicide of 24-year-old Matsuri Takahashi, an advertising employee who routinely worked 20-hour days. Her death led to the Work Style Reform Law of 2018, limiting overtime and reducing karoshi incidents.
Labour rights groups now warn that Takaichi’s promotion of extreme work ethics and support for higher overtime could reverse these gains. Citizens fear Japan may once again normalize overwork, undermining decades of progress toward safer and more balanced workplace practices.
