Japan’s Longest-Serving PM Shinzo Abe To Resign Over Health Issues

Tokyo: Japan’s longest-serving Prime Minister, Shinzō Abe has reportedly decided to resign over health issues.

Abe announced his plan at an emergency meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, a senior lawmaker close to the PM, Tomomi Inada told the media.

The Liberal Democratic Party’s extraordinary board of directors was quoted as saying by Nippon Television that he had a chronic illness. “There is a risk of recurrent ulcerative colitis and it is worsening.”

However, Inada told reporters Abe will stay in office until a successor is decided, most likely through an election of ruling party lawmakers and members. Senior government officials had suggested that he would serve out the rest of remaining year in office.

The news sent Tokyo stocks plunging more than two per cent, with the benchmark Nikkei 225 index reversing earlier gains.