Japanese Premier Ishiba undergoes 2nd medical checkup in 5 days

By Anadolu staff

ANKARA (AA) – Japan’s newly elected Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday received a second medical checkup in five days amid concerns about his health, which were swiftly rejected by the government.

The latest medical checkup came days after the 67-year-old lawmaker appeared to fall asleep during a parliamentary session earlier this week, Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported.

The top government spokesman, however, dismissed fears that Ishiba has been unwell, saying there is "no health issue."

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi told reporters that Ishiba had an around 30-minute examination at a health care facility in Tokyo on Wednesday and that "there is no impact on his official duties."

"I've heard it was a routine health check that had been scheduled before," Hayashi was quoted as saying.

Citing an unnamed source close to Ishiba, Kyodo reported that Wednesday’s checkup 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.

The premier also checked into a hospital in Tokyo on Saturday for about 1 hour and 50 minutes.

Ishiba, whose Liberal Democratic Party and its junior coalition partner lost their majority in the Oct. 27 general election, took office on Oct. 1.