Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe Resigns Over Ill Health

Reuters/Athit Perawongmetha/Pool/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced his resignation on Friday due to health reasons.

According to the New York Times, Abe — who has served as prime minister since 2012 — “told reporters that he had suffered a relapse of the bowel disease.”

“He said that he wanted to make way for a new leader who could focus fully on tackling the coronavirus pandemic and other challenges, and that he felt the timing was right because Japan had seemed to have gotten its second wave under control,” the Times reported, noting that his party “is expected to elect a leader within coming days or weeks.”

Abe reportedly said, “I don’t want to make mistakes in important political decisions… I decided I shouldn’t continue sitting in this seat as long as I cannot respond to the mandate of the people with confidence.”