Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has resigned over his worsening health condition. Abe took the decision to avoid administration issues. "Amid my illness and medical treatment, and the distress of not being in full physical condition, there must not be any mistakes made on important political decisions, nor a situation where I fail to achieve results. As I am no longer in a situation where I can confidently answer to the mandate of the people of this nation, I have decided I should no longer continue to be in the position of Prime Minister. I will resign from the office of Prime Minister," Shinzo Abe said.
In a country once known for its short-tenured prime ministers, the departure marks the end of an unusual era of stability that saw the Japanese leader strike up strong ties with President Donald Trump even as Abe's ultra-nationalism riled the Koreas and China.
While he pulled Japan out of recession, the economy has been battered anew by the coronavirus pandemic, and Abe has failed to achieve his cherished goal to formally rewrite the U.S.-drafted pacifist constitution because of poor public support.
Abe is a political blue blood who was groomed to follow in the footsteps of his grandfather, former Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi.
His political rhetoric often focused on making Japan a "normal" and "beautiful" nation with a stronger military and bigger role in international affairs.
(AP Inputs)
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