In Japan, video of exhausted Takaichi sparks health fears ahead of US trip

A video showing Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi looking visibly exhausted after a budget committee session on Thursday went viral online, sparking concerns over her well-being ahead of a trip to the US to meet President Donald Trump.Takaichi had cold-like symptoms and was advised to rest by doctors, ultimately skipping some meetings with local Middle Eastern ambassadors on Thursday, according to local media.“Yesterday, the prime minister suspected she had a cold, so she was examined by a medical officer and rested at her official residence as a precaution,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said at a press conference on Friday. “I understand she has already recovered and will be carrying out her official duties as scheduled today.”The reports of poor health come less than a week before Takaichi is set to travel to Washington to meet Trump, where the usual show of strong ties and a solid US-Japan partnership could be overshadowed by developments in Iran.The prime minister has cultivated a reputation for working so tirelessly that she has been criticised for forcing aides to attend meetings in the predawn hours.Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi attends a video conference of G7 leaders at her residence in Tokyo on Wednesday. Photo: Japan’s Cabinet Public Relations Office/Kyodo/ReutersEven as Japan has sought in recent years to reduce its famously long working hours, Takaichi has promised to “work, work, work, work and work,” an attitude that may have contributed to her success leading her Liberal Democratic Party to its biggest election triumph in history in February.