Hayashi: Ishiba Has No Health Issues; Sleeping During Prime Minister Vote Was Due to ‘Cold Medicine’

The Yomiuri Shimbun

15:04 JST, November 14, 2024

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba does not have any health problems, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi has said, in response to muttering that Ishiba nodded off during Monday’s vote to decide the prime minister at a plenary session of the House of Representatives.

Regarding Ishiba’s visit to Akasaka Sanno Medical Center in Tokyo on Wednesday morning, Hayashi said at a press conference, “I understand it was a routine medical checkup that had been scheduled for some time … There are no problems with his health, and nothing getting in the way of performing his official duties.”

Ishiba had just visited the International University of Health and Welfare’s Mita Hospital in Tokyo on Saturday for what was described by his aides as a “medical checkup.”

After Ishiba was accused of dozing during the voting on Monday, Hayashi later explained at a press conference that the prime minister had a cold and had been taking cold medicine.

“He has been working very hard to manage the minority government,” an LDP member said.