"Focus on Diplomacy, Defense, and Economy"... Six Months of Prime Minister Takaichi's Tenure

Prime Minister Takaichi's Meetings with Senior Officials in First Six Months
Focus on Diplomacy, Defense, and Economy; No Meetings with Justice Ministry
Communicates via Solo Lunches and Email... Cares for Husband After Work

Japan's Kyodo News has conducted an in-depth analysis of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's activities as she marks six months in office.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. Reuters Yonhap News Agency

According to Yonhap News on May 6, Kyodo News reported that "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has focused her meetings over the past six months on senior officials from ministries related to diplomacy, defense, and the economy." Based on its own "Prime Minister's Activities" reports, Kyodo analyzed the number of days Prime Minister Takaichi met with executives from 14 ministries, from her inauguration at the end of October last year until April 21 of this year. The analysis showed that officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs topped the list with 41 days, followed by the Ministry of Defense with 29 days, the Ministry of Finance with 24 days, and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry with 23 days.

In contrast, interactions with other ministries were significantly fewer. Only the Cabinet Office and the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare exceeded 10 days, while the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology had just 2 days, and the Ministry of the Environment had only 1 day. Officials from the Ministry of Justice, the Digital Agency, and the Reconstruction Agency (a prime ministerial body established for recovery from the Great East Japan Earthquake) did not have a single meeting with Prime Minister Takaichi during the six-month period.

The difference is notable compared to the meeting records of former prime ministers Shigeru Ishiba, Fumio Kishida, and Yoshihide Suga at the six-month mark of their terms. For the three former prime ministers, the Ministry of Justice was the only ministry whose officials they never met during the same period.

Analysts say this concentration of meetings reflects Prime Minister Takaichi's political style. Previously, the Asahi Shimbun reported that since taking office, Prime Minister Takaichi has been running her administration in a "top-down" manner, making decisions within her inner circle and rarely engaging in prior negotiations or consultations with party executives. In practice, she is known to usually eat lunch alone, rarely attend dinner gatherings, and communicate with close lawmakers mainly by email rather than by phone.

Notably, after work, Prime Minister Takaichi personally takes care of her husband, who is physically impaired due to a cerebral infarction, as well as handles household chores such as laundry herself. It is reported that she does not employ a caregiver or domestic helper. After revealing that she only sleeps for 2 to 4 hours a night, she confided, "I lose a lot of time to household chores, so my sleep is relatively short. I wish I could get more sleep."

Meanwhile, some claim that Prime Minister Takaichi's unique communication style has led to suspicion within her party. While there is no open criticism, there is also a lack of enthusiastic support. One senior lawmaker told the Asahi Shimbun, "I have no idea what the Prime Minister's office is thinking," while another said, "If you go against her wishes, you'll lose your head." A government official pointed out to Kyodo News, "Access to the Prime Minister is limited under the Takaichi administration."

However, a member of the Prime Minister's circle explained to the news agency, "The Prime Minister has frequently met with senior officials from ministries related to diplomacy and the economy due to economic policy matters, the formulation of the 2026 fiscal year budget, the two summits with the United States held since her inauguration, and responses to the situation in the Middle East." Regarding the concentration of meetings with specific ministries, the aide added, "When necessary, the Prime Minister receives reports from her secretaries, so there is no problem."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.