Japan Prime Minister Resigns Over Health Challenges

Posted by African Examiner Latest Headlines, World News Friday, August 28th, 2020

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Japanese Prime Minister (PM) Shinzo Abe has announced his resignation due to health challenges.

“I made a judgement that I should not continue my job as a prime minister.

“I would like to sincerely apologise to the people of Japan for leaving my post with one year left in my term of office, and amid the coronavirus woes, while various policies are still in the process of being implemented,” he added, making a bow’’ Abe said.

He was also quoted as regretting not fulfilling his core pledges – forcing North Korea to return Japanese citizens abducted decades ago; sorting out a territorial dispute with Russia; and overhauling the constitution to give more power to the military.

The PM said he did not want his illness to get in the way of decision making, and apologised to the Japanese people for failing to complete his term in office.

The 65-year-old has suffered for many years from ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, but he said his condition had worsened recently.

Last year, he became Japan’s longest serving prime minister. His current period in office began in 2012.

Recall, in 2007, he resigned abruptly from an earlier term as prime minister because of his struggles with ulcerative colitis – a chronic condition that he has lived with since he was a teenager.

Mr Abe has a reputation as a staunch conservative and nationalist, as well as for stimulating growth with his aggressive economic policy known as “Abenomics”.

He has also strengthened Japan’s defences and boosted military spending, but has been unable to revise the constitution’s pacifist Article 9, which bans a standing army for anything other than self-defence.

The prime minister said his health started to decline as his ulcerative colitis made a resurgence around the middle of July, disclosed that he was receiving a new treatment for the condition which had to be administered on a regular basis and would not give him enough time to carry out his prime ministerial functions, he added.

He said he could not make any mistakes in terms of important decision making, and therefore had decided to step down.