Japanese PM Shinzo Abe announces he will resign over health concerns

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has announced that he will resign after nearly eight years in office over health concerns. Speaking at a press conference on August 28, Abe confirmed the reports which had indicated his intention to resign and said that he cannot cling to the Prime Minister’s office if he’s not feeling his best.

Japan’s longest-serving prime minister made two separate trips to a hospital recently for health checkups due to a medical condition that have not yet been specified by the PMO. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga, at a regular news conference, had brushed off worries about Abe's health. 

“I see him every day, but I haven't noticed anything different," he said. 

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Longest-serving PM

Earlier on August 25, Abe told a press briefing that the achievement while holding a political office is more important than how much spent there. He said that the government devoted every day during the seven years and eight months to implement the policies that the party had promised to the people and to deliver results.

“Thanks to the accumulation of daily efforts, I believe we are able to welcome this day. We owe everything to the strong support at national elections we have received from the people,” he said.

Japan was successful in containing the coronavirus during the first wave but started witnessing an exponential rise since last week of June. The daily coronavirus cases are on a decline but the country has been reporting deaths in double-digits for three consecutive days. Japan has reported over 64,000 total cases of COVID-19 and more than 1,200 related deaths so far.

(Image credit: AP)

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