Japan's Takaichi says chores and makeup add hours to her workday, sparking debate on gender roles

TOKYO -- Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ’s comments about the additional work she has to take on as a woman compared to her male predecessors have sparked a debate about gender roles in the country and have put her performance under the spotlight.On Wednesday, Takaichi said she works longer hours than her male predecessors because she needs to fulfill requirements for women, such as house chores and applying makeup. “In the morning, I take a bath, fix breakfast and do the dishes, then apply makeup," Takaichi told a parliamentary session Wednesday. “Doing these things, I feel I'm spending three or four more hours than male prime ministers."It took a while for her aides to learn that she needs extra time to fix her makeup and be more presentable before going on camera, Takaichi said.Her emphasis on makeup, bathing and house chores quickly backfired, because she was seen as promoting old-fashioned gender roles and excessive working hours that have long been considered problems in Japan. In a country where gender roles remain rigid and long hours at work are the norm for men, working women are also burdened with house chores and child care. Women spend nearly five hours doing ho...