Japanese premier to resign over health concerns
Shinzo Abe to announce his resignation at party meeting later today, local media reports
Japan’s prime minister will step down due to health concerns, local media reported Friday, citing a source from his party.
Shinzo Abe, the 65-year-old premier and head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, will announce his resignation at a party meeting starting at 3 pm local time (0600GMT), Kyodo News reported.
Abe has long suffered from chronic illness - ulcerative colitis - which earlier forced him to step down in 2007, only a year after becoming the country's youngest premier in the postwar era at age 52.
There was widespread speculation about his health in recent weeks as he kept a low profile without holding any press conferences for nearly 50 days between mid-June and early August and had a series of hospital visits.
He was also criticised for his government’s poor handling of the coronavirus pandemic.
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