Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has drawn attention after saying she sleeps only three hours or less each night. Iltalehti examined the claim in a report that also looked at how much sleep Finnish ministers get during busy schedules.

The statement has sparked a wider discussion about how little sleep can affect a politician’s health and ability to work. In a role like prime minister, long days are common, but this level of sleep deprivation is unusually low even for demanding leadership jobs.

The issue matters because political leadership requires constant decision-making, concentration and resilience under pressure. According to Iltalehti, Takaichi’s comment has therefore attracted interest beyond Japan as well.