Several Japanese MPs, including former PMs Fumio Kishida and Shigeru Ishiba, were caught snoozing in the parliament on Friday as Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gave her first policy speech.
In a now-viral video from Zvezdanews, the MPs, sitting in the back row of the parliament, can be seen dozing during the debates.
Watch the viral video here:
Here’s how netizens reacted:
Social media users made sarcastic remarks about the situation and joked that it was merely a tradition for the MPs to doze off during the prime minister’s speech.
“In Japan, former prime ministers are supposed to doze off during the current PM’s speech. Didn’t you know that?” a user quipped.
Another added, “It’s a very normal situation. I’d be surprised if none of them sleep!”
“Yes, a true reflection of many politicians, even in retirement, they cannot stay away. On life support to the end of their political career,” one netizen highlighted.
A user joked, “Tell me more about this wave of ‘sleepiness,’ pls? It must be some self-induced magical formula?”
“I wish republicans would do this, they’d do less harm!” joked an American user.
‘Japan’s economic policy has changed’: Takaichi
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government’s target of achieving a primary balance surplus will no longer be reviewed on a single-year basis, but the strategy may be revised to aim for a balance over several years.
Speaking in the lower house of parliament on Friday, Takaichi said, “it’s fair to think that economic policy has changed.” Reaching a primary balance surplus has long been seen as a key target as part of fiscal consolidation efforts.
Takaichi’s comments hint at her determination to shift fiscal policy toward more spending, harking back to a more reflationary policy platform in the style of her mentor, former premier Shinzo Abe, whose namesake policies dominated Japan’s political agenda for nearly a decade.
Since becoming premier, Takaichi has steered clear of putting overt pressure on the Bank of Japan to refrain from hiking interest rates. In September 2024 she called hiking rates a “stupid” idea.
The BOJ next sets policy on December 19, and about half of surveyed economists have said they expect authorities to increase borrowing costs at that point.
She noted that she aims to achieve nominal growth in gross domestic product that exceeds yields on Japanese government bonds, while also setting a goal to lower the nation’s debt-to-GDP ratio. She didn’t elaborate on how she’ll achieve those aims.
(With Bloomberg inputs)