TOKYO: (Bernama-Kyodo): Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba received a medical checkup on Wednesday (Nov 13) for the second time in five days, amid concerns after he appeared to fall asleep during a parliamentary session earlier this week, Kyodo News Agency reported.
The top government spokesman, however, dismissed fears that the 67-year-old lawmaker, whose Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner lost their majority in the Oct. 27 general election, has been unwell, saying there is "no health issue."
It reported Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference that Ishiba had an around 30-minute examination at a healthcare facility in Tokyo on Wednesday and that "there is no impact on his official duties."
Ishiba, who took office on Oct 1, also checked into a hospital in Tokyo on Saturday for about 1 hour and 50 minutes.
Asked why he underwent a medical checkup again on Wednesday, Hayashi said, "I've heard it was a routine health check that had been scheduled before."
Regarding Wednesday's examination, a source close to Ishiba said it was arranged in advance of his planned visit to South America from Thursday to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation and Group of 20 summits in Peru and Brazil.
Hayashi said Monday that a dose of cold medicine was to blame for causing Ishiba to apparently fall asleep during a parliamentary session held to reelect him as prime minister following the House of Representatives election. - Bernama-Kyodo
