Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is resigning, citing health reasons.
Abe, 65, is the longest-serving Japanese prime minister in history and announced that he is stepping down during a Friday news conference in Tokyo. He has suffered from colitis, an inflammatory bowel syndrome, for years.
“Even though there is one year to go in my tenure and there are challenges to be met, I have decided to stand down as prime minister,” Abe said.
The colitis has caused political issues for Abe in the past. He had previously served as prime minister for about a year before his resignation in 2007. His illness was cited as one of the factors in that first resignation, according to CNN. Abe became prime minister again in 2012 and has been in the role since.
“For almost eight years, I controlled my chronic disease; however, this year in June, I had a regular checkup, and there was a sign of the disease,” Abe said at the news conference. “I need to fight the disease and need to be treated.”
Abe’s tenure is noted for economic growth and the expansion of his right-leaning Liberal Democratic Party, which controls both houses of parliament. The phrase “Abenomics” was termed for the country’s growth plan, which highlighted substantial monetary stimulus, increased government spending, and laid out structural reforms.
“Japan is no longer the Japan of the past,” Abe said earlier this year. “We have succeeded in completely breaking through the ‘wall of resignation.’”
Abe will remain as prime minister until his successor is chosen. The country’s next leader will likely be from the same party as Abe given its control of the country’s politics.
A senior official with the Trump administration praised Abe’s “outstanding leadership” when contacted by the Washington Examiner.
“Together with President Trump, Prime Minister Abe has made the United States-Japan Alliance, and our overall relationship, the strongest it has ever been,” the official said in a statement. “Prime Minister Abe’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific aligns closely with the President’s, and by working together, our two great nations have significantly advanced this shared vision.
“We look forward to working with Prime Minister Abe’s successor in further strengthening our nations’ ties and advancing our shared goals,” the official added.
Following Abe’s announcement, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tweeted that Abe “has achieved great things as PM of Japan.”
“Under his stewardship the UK-Japan relationship has gone from strength to strength in trade, defence and our cultural links. Thank you for all your years of service and I wish you good health,” Johnson added.
.@AbeShinzo has achieved great things as PM of Japan – for his country and the world. Under his stewardship the UK-Japan relationship has gone from strength to strength in trade, defence and our cultural links. Thank you for all your years of service and I wish you good health.
— Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) August 28, 2020
“Shinzo Abe has given his all to the service of his country and left a legacy for Japan and the world that he can be truly proud of,” wrote Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
Australia and Japan have never been closer, and this is significantly due to the humility and sincerity Shinzo Abe has displayed. I’ll never forget laying a wreath side by side with him at the Darwin Cenotaph as we remembered those killed in the Japanese bombing raids on Darwin.
— Scott Morrison (@ScottMorrisonMP) August 28, 2020
The Washington Examiner reached out to the White House and the State Department for comment about Abe’s resignation.
