politics

Tokyo Gov Koike resumes work after recovering from fatigue

19 Comments

Tokyo Gov Yuriko Koike resumed her duties on Sunday after taking time off due to fatigue.

Koike, 69, spent six days in hospital from Oct 27. After being discharged on Nov 2, she teleworked from home, according to the Tokyo metropolitan government.

Koike was admitted to the hospital after she had been seen clearing her throat often in recent conferences. She was also hospitalized in June for about a week due to fatigue.

On Sunday morning, she spoke to reporters outside her office in Tokyo's Shinjuku, before attending a video meeting with other governors to discuss anti-coronavirus measures.

Koike told reporters she was feeling much better and said her main priority was ensuring the medical system can cope with further outbreaks of the virus and that there will be enough vaccine supplies for the booster shot.

© Japan Today/Kyodo

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19 Comments
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Meanwhile for average citizens:

Average:'Hey Boss, I've been working really hard, and have been diagnosed with extreme fatigue and high blood pressure as a result, I'd like to take a sabbatical to recover my health.'

Boss:'Hahahaha!! Oh...you're serious?

I'm afraid you used all your allowed paid holidays when we all got Corona. Have you considered voluntary unemployment?'

12 ( +29 / -17 )

She was out so long I all but forgot she existed.

1 ( +18 / -17 )

I am digging her outfit. I also like the timing of the shot - she looks like she's about to flip the reporters the bird.

15 ( +22 / -7 )

Calling in SICK for work in Japan wont get you fired(per Japanese labor board law) as long as you are full time "seishain" not hakken or a contractor. Make sure to call in sick every once in awhile or you will never get time off in japan(vacation). Those who work in Tokyo know what I mean. Hope the Governor is well!! Take care Koike-san. Don't (過労死, Karōshi) please and if you can teach please change the laws in japan so that there will be no (過労死, Karōshi) working hours.

-1 ( +9 / -10 )

 Those who work in Tokyo know what I mean.

Like those of us who dont work in Tokyo dont know either? What a condescending comment!

10 ( +14 / -4 )

I will bet any money that she caught COVID and not "fatigue", or it was something else.

8 ( +17 / -9 )

Wish her well and full recovery 110%.

8 ( +14 / -6 )

And like clockwork her and Shinzo coming out of the shadows after all the public hate is all clear.

Most people her hospital visits are either COVID or hiding from scandal.

1 ( +13 / -12 )

She got paid for her time off too-lucky!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Fatigue isn't a medical condition you sure she didn't have covid?

7 ( +14 / -7 )

She’s been working hard as governor of Tokyo. She deserves a much longer rest to recover her health. And if she really wants to do good for the people of Tokyo, she should hand in her resignation and fade into obscurity.

-8 ( +9 / -17 )

Is it a journalist convention to show imposing full-body shots of politicians when they return from their sick leave? It was the same thing with Abe last year. Back and powerful as ever!

1 ( +3 / -2 )

She looks younger?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

ANYONE who has had to deal with Tokyo this past year and has the least bit of conscientiousness HAS to be exhausted and, when the buck stops with you, the weight of so many 'bucks' as she has juggled this year would topple even a much younger MAN for whom most of the comments we see here would not have occurred to the commenters nor would have made such a news splash as this implied 'weakness' in a woman who, in reality, could knock stuffing out of most men her age and even younger. She pulled Tokyo, relatively unscathed, through a year unlike very many in recent history and only a rare word of that here but mostly mindless commentary out of simple minded sexist jealousy. If Nihon had more politicians with her conscientiousness and competence, it would be a much more fortunate, forward looking, and problem solving country than it is now.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

spinningplates:

Meanwhile for average citizens:

Average:'Hey Boss, I've been working really hard, and have been diagnosed with extreme fatigue and high blood pressure as a result, I'd like to take a sabbatical to recover my health.'

Boss:'Hahahaha!! Oh...you're serious?

Generalization is alright. But individual cases can be different. And what we need to know here is the fact of individual case of Governor Koike.

How many days did she actually work this year? According to the official records, the number of days she worked on weekends since January 4th through the end of September was 41 days in total.

https://www.metro.tokyo.lg.jp/tosei/governor/governor/action/weekly/2021/index.html

Jan: 5 days

Feb: 4 days

Mar: 4 days

Apr: 4 days

May: 5 days

Jun: 3 days

Jul: 6 days

Aug: 6 days

Sep: 4 days

TOTAL: 41 days (in 9 months)

Obviously she overworked. She deserves, or rather requires, some rest.

What's unusual about this governor is that while working over time, she cut her salary by 50%, making herself the lowest earner among all 47 governors in Japan.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

she looks like she's about to flip the reporters the bird.

We Tokyo residents should be flipping her the bird. If she can't handle the pressures of the job, then she should have stepped down ages ago.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Fatigue?! Is that even a reason to be absent from work? I'm a pretty lenient boss but if an employee came to me to tell me they need time off because they're very tired I my reply would be a burst of laughter.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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