Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her practice of staying at her official residence unless she has official duties elsewhere, saying it allows her to work long hours without overburdening her staff [1, 2, 3]. She explained that work and meetings conducted at the residence are not logged in her official schedule, but she regards the residence as a workplace. "Work conducted at the official residence, such as meetings held there, are not reported as part of the prime minister’s daily schedule, but from my perspective it’s also a workplace," Takaichi said [1]. She added she has created a working environment "essentially no different from when I am working at the Prime Minister’s Office" [2].

Since assuming office in December 2025, Takaichi has adopted a round-the-clock work style. She prefers to work alone reviewing documents at her residence and reportedly sleeps only zero to three hours a night, as she disclosed on social media in July 2026 [1, 2, 3]. A Nikkei report on August 21 said she spends more than half of Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays at her residence, a stark contrast to past prime ministers who spent between 3% and 16% of non-weekdays entirely at home [1, 2].

Takaichi's work habits stand out in other ways. A Bloomberg analysis showed she meets finance ministry officials 50% less often than the previous two leaders and holds the fewest Cabinet Office meetings in 14 years [1, 2]. She talks less with the media than her predecessors and uses X (formerly Twitter) to reach voters directly [1, 2]. This solitary, fast-paced leadership style helped her secure a historic election landslide in February 2026 [1, 2].

However, her approach has drawn criticism from opposition lawmakers and media commentators. Poll ratings have dipped from earlier highs, partly due to perceptions that she is detached from addressing the cost-of-living crunch [1, 2]. Takaichi has said that maximizing time at the residence also reduces the need for personal security officials to accompany her [1]. In an unusual aside on August 24, she expressed surprise at finding cockroaches at the official residence [2].