Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Resign Because of Illness

Posted on 08/28/2020


Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan disclosed that he is resigning due to ill health. The 65-year-old said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision making. PM Abe has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, but he said his condition had worsened recently. PM Abe will remain in his post until a successor is chosen.

PM Abe announced his decision to step down just four days after he created a record for the longest uninterrupted run as Japanese PM, almost 8 years. This was Abe’s second time as prime minister. Abe held the job as PM from 2006 to 2007. In 2007, PM Abe resigned abruptly because of his struggles with ulcerative colitis. He then started his long run as PM at the end of 2012 as the sixth prime minister in five years.

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