Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Sugita Kazuhiro (80), a top Kasumigaseki bureaucrat, was hospitalized for a medical checkup on Aug. 9.

According to a source familiar with the situation, Sugita has been suffering from ill health with a recurrent fever since last week. His PCR test for COVID-19 came back negative.

Late last month, Sugita marked his 3,134th day (8 years and 7 months) in his current position, surpassing all his predecessors.