"Became the Subject of My Husband's Laughter"... The Story Behind Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi's Salon Struggles

Catching Up on Work from Her Accommodation...
Reveals Concerns About Visiting a Hair Salon
Expresses Determination to Push Ahead with Work
Forsaking Work-Life Balance and Voluntarily Cutting Salary

Sanae Takaichi, who became Japan's first female prime minister last month, drew attention on November 8 by sharing a glimpse of her personal life on X (formerly Twitter), saying, "I tried to cut my own hair and failed, so I became the subject of my husband's laughter."

Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, is reviewing materials at the second session of the 2025 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit held on the 1st at the Gyeongju Hwabaek Convention Center (HICO) in Gyeongbuk. Photo by Yonhap News

According to the Yomiuri Shimbun on November 9, Prime Minister Takaichi wrote in a post the previous day, "If I leave my residence, I might inconvenience my security staff or driver, so I decided to work from my residence on weekends without official events. My current concern is not being able to visit the hair salon at night or on weekends." She added, "On days without parliamentary Q&A sessions within this year, I am determined to go to the salon no matter what," and continued, "This weekend, I decided to focus on catching up with household chores and preparing for the parliamentary budget committee at my residence."

The newspaper analyzed that Prime Minister Takaichi appeared to be conscious of criticism regarding lack of consideration for her staff and concerns about overwork, after she held a parliamentary Q&A preparation meeting around 3 a.m. on November 7.

Immediately after being elected president of the Liberal Democratic Party on October 4, Prime Minister Takaichi also emphasized, "I will abandon the word 'work-life balance,'" and declared, "I will work, work, work, work, and keep working." In fact, the Takaichi administration is currently considering easing regulations on maximum working hours, which were originally introduced to prevent death from overwork. The opposition parties have voiced concerns about this move.

Minoru Kihara, Chief Cabinet Secretary and government spokesperson, explained, "That remark was simply an expression of her determination to fulfill her duties as president of the Liberal Democratic Party. It does not mean the prime minister herself denies the importance of work-life balance," adding, "We will respond appropriately according to future circumstances."

Prime Minister Takaichi also announced a policy of voluntarily reducing her own salary. The Nihon Keizai Shimbun recently reported that there are plans to cut the salaries paid to the prime minister and cabinet ministers. The basic monthly salary for a member of Japan's National Diet is 1,294,000 yen (approximately 1.218 million won). The prime minister receives an additional 1,152,000 yen (about 1.084 million won), and cabinet ministers receive an additional 489,000 yen (about 460,000 won). According to Nikkei, the prime minister's monthly salary could be reduced by up to about 1.15 million yen as a result of this cut.

Since taking office, Prime Minister Takaichi has continued to balance her personal life and state affairs through bold actions such as reducing her salary, giving up on work-life balance, and starting work at 3 a.m.