Abe says ‘gut wrenching’ resignation leaves goals unfinished

TOKYO (AP) — Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister, is resigning because of a chronic illness.

Concerns about Abe’s health began this summer and grew this month when he visited a Tokyo hospital two weeks in a row for unspecified health checkups. Abe has acknowledged having ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and has said the condition was controlled with treatment.

Abe, whose term ends in September 2021, is expected to stay on until a new party leader is elected.

His 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 neighbors.

While he pulled Japan out of recession, the economy has been battered anew by the coronavirus pandemic.