Rumors of PM Takaichi's health problems starting to swirl

TOKYO — Although the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was known to have battled chronic inflammatory bowel disease for most of his adult life, he refrained from discussing his condition openly with the media. With no source on which to rely, the weekly tabloid magazines were quick to engage in speculation, such as the time when Abe's limousine was spotted entering the parking lot at Keio University Hospital and  remained there for several hours -- far longer than needed for an ordinary consultation.

His recurring condition shortened Abe's tenures as prime minister. His first term ran for just one year, September 20, 2006 to September 23, 2007, and his physical condition was given as a main reason for his resignation. After making a comeback on December 26, 2012, Abe was elected prime minister and he served nearly eight more years, until suffering a relapse in his condition in 2020.

And now with a female at the nation's helm,  Japan's weekly magazines are not averse to discussing the health of a prime minister.

The headline in Shukan Shincho (Jun. 25) screamed "They just won't stop: The stories of PM Takaichi harboring a serious illness."

At Haneda Airport on June 13, when she boarded a charter flight bound for the UK, there was no sign of unsteadiness in her gait as she walked up the boarding stairs.

But on June 12, the day before she departed to attend the G7 Summit in France, an incident occurred that caused a great deal of consternation among those around her.

That morning she had gone to receive a proposal from Yoshitaka Shindo, chairperson of the Headquarters for Foreign Nationals Policy. Those present observed her right hand and legs had begun to tremble noticeably. She was able to maintain her posture under her own power with difficulty, and there was a moment when those around provided assistance.

"Senior officials at the Prime Minister's Office scrambled to contain the situation, explaining in unison that the symptoms were related to the rheumatoid arthritis she had previously disclosed as a pre-existing condition," said an unnamed source within the party.

Takaichi's condition dates back over a decade. It had first been noticed while campaigning just before the general election in 2009. Moving on foot, she had been calling on 500 houses and began to feel sharp pains in her knees. She also had difficulty in extending her fingers.

Muneyuki Yukawa, director of a clinic in Musashino City specializing in arthritis, tells the reporter her problem may be a chronic inflammation of the joints. While the cause is unclear, it is a type of autoimmune disease in which an abnormal immune response occurs within the body.

"In the past, it was considered untreatable, but more recently new medications such as Methotrexate are used to suppress symptoms and stabilize the condition," said Yukawa.

Takaichi herself had posted on X that she had been using a biological immunosuppressive used to treat inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, whose generic name is Tocilizumab and was "feeling much better."

"It's been reported that the prime minister has received a synthetic replacement joint," said Junya Watanabe, director of the Tsuga Orthopedic Rehabilitation Clinic in Chiba City. "That would be appropriate for a case like hers."

It is generally unlikely that an artificial joint would be the cause of instability when arising or walking. Rather, it would be necessary to consider the possibility that symptoms in the opposite hip joint are progressing, or point to the need to investigate other potential causes.

An unnamed source in Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party supposes the cause of her health concerns "may be something else."

"She had been seen having palpitations and breaking out in heavy perspiration, symptoms that resembling the hot flashes that are common with the onset of menopause," the source said.

But Takao Koyama, who operates a clinic for women in Tokyo's Ginza district disagrees. "Since the prime minister is now age 65, these symptoms aren't related to menopause but rather autonomic imbalance."

"She'd been a heavy smoker, unable to quit Mevius (a brand formerly known as Mild Seven), which has 8mg of tar," said the aforementioned party insider. "From around last autumn she made another effort to quit, since smoking can aggravate her arthritis. Instead of regular cigarettes, she now uses a vape, which doesn't contain nicotine or tar. It's said she finally kicked the habit. At the very least she refrains from smoking in front of others. And she's been heard telling people, 'I finally managed to quit.'"

The PM was also said to have recently been emotionally upset by a defamatory video online that accused her of "taking time from her official duties," which was said to have caused her to lose sleep for two straight nights. The lack of sleep was said to have made her appear dizzy.

Well, the magazine concludes, while her approval rating remains around 60%, it may very well be that the biggest potential threat to the Takaichi administration will be the prime minister's own health issues.

© Japan Today