Work schedule keeping Kishida busy over holiday period

The Yomiuri Shimbun

16:40 JST, December 30, 2022

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was scheduled to take time off from Thursday to Tuesday for the New Year holiday period, but his winter break is unlikely to be free from work.

According to sources close to the prime minister, Kishida has said he intends to spend the holiday period reading at his official residence and plans to visit a barber and massage parlor in Tokyo.

However, on Thursday, Kishida met with senior Foreign Ministry officials at his official residence in the afternoon and spent about an hour discussing planned trips to Europe and North America, which are scheduled to start on Jan. 8. And on Friday he attended a ceremony to mark the final session of the year at the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

He is also expected to participate in the New Year reception at the Imperial Palace on Sunday.

On Wednesday, Kishida is scheduled to visit Ise Jingu shrine in Mie Prefecture, where he plans to hold his first press conference of the year.