In a string of posts on social media platform X addressing her working situation, Japan Prime Minister (PM) Sanae Takaichi said that she felt lonely after her staff got rid of a cockroach that she had spotted in her home.
The post, published on 22 Aug, went viral and garnered nearly 25 million views and more than 6,200 comments.
The series of posts addressed reports that she was secluding herself inside her official residence.
According to Kyodo News, she moved into the PM’s residence in December last year after being elected in late October.
Since then, several media outlets have reported that she has spent whole days at the residence.
Source: Wikipedia
However, PM Takaichi said that she has chosen to work from the residence to “reduce the burden on staff” that are working at the office.
This is because, without her presence, there is less security and personnel required.
She emphasised that she still does her necessary duties. In fact, she says that working at her residence has allowed her to work longer hours.
Since taking office, PM Takaichi has prompted much debate about her overworking tendencies.
The official residence for Japanese Prime Ministers is said to be haunted. This is thanks to multiple coup attempts in the early 1900s that led to several people being killed.
PM Takaichi said that she has yet to spot a ghost at the residence.
However, she has screamed due to spotting a cockroach and recounted the experience to netizens on social media.
Despite being frightened, she could not bring herself to kill the cockroach after thinking about reincarnation.
PM Takaichi simply hoped that it would leave the residence on its own.
However, when she told her assistants about the cockroach, they immediately moved to eliminate it.
Her staff told her that it was “unclean” and arranged for insecticide. Since then, PM Takaichi said she has not seen another cockroach.
While she felt relief, she also said she felt a little sad and lonely.
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Featured image adapted from @takaichi_sanae on X and Wikipedia.