Shinzo Abe, Japan's PM, 'set to resign for health reasons'

[alp227]

Source: BBC

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is set to resign for health reasons, local media report.

He has suffered from the disease ulcerative colitis for many years but his condition is thought to have worsened recently.

Public broadcaster NHK said Mr Abe, 65, wanted to avoid causing problems for his government.

Earlier this week, he became Japan's longest continuously serving prime minister, after taking office in 2012.

Read more: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-53943758

[BumRushDaShow]

1. I heard this on my local news radio's CBS feed this morning (4:00 am EDT)

and it was literally mentioned at the end of the 2 minute segment, almost as an afterthought.

I mean that news item is pretty major given that Japan has the world's 3rd largest economy.

[Judi Lynn]

2. He probably couldn't stand to be around Trump any longer, in case he's re-elected.

Trump's convinced Abe thinks the world of him.





"help me..."

[onetexan]

7. IIRC, didn't Conman try to get Japan to nominate him for the nobel peace prize?

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Not eating enough hamberders

[Warpy]

4. That is one miserable disease. I'm surprised he has done so well for so long

Years ago, I had a friend who had a total colectomy and placement of a colostomy at the age of 21. He said it was the best thing he'd ever done, he'd exchanged constant agony for an intermittent nuisance.

While there are a lot of medications now that can help, people with this disease are never quite well and the medications often have horrible side effects.

[soryang]

5. Differences between Abe and Trump?

Ex-adviser Steve Bannon says Abe was 'Trump before Trump,' urges him to play hardball with China
BY TOMOHIRO OSAKI
STAFF WRITER
Mar 8, 2019

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2019/03/08/national/politics-diplomacy/ex-adviser-steve-bannon-confident-donald-trump-win-2020-despite-probes/#.XUY1v-hKhaQ

The Religious Cult Secretly Running Japan
CAVEAT EMPEROR
Nippon Kaigi, a small cult with some of the country’s most powerful people, aims to return Japan to pre-WWII imperial ‘glory.’ Sunday’s elections may further its goal.

Jake Adelstein
Mari Yamamoto
Updated Apr. 13, 2017 3:25PM ET / Published Jul. 10, 2016 12:15AM ET

https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-religious-cult-secretly-running-japan?ref=scroll

[raccoon]

6. Wish Dotard would follow suit. Nt

[onetexan]

8. Abe has been the steady leader Japan needed for the past 8 years, given there had been high turnover

in the PM role before him. I hope the candidate who replaces him will be a good leader as Abe was.