Chinese Herald News On August 24, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s consecutive days in office reached 2,799 days, ranking first alone in history. However, in the morning, Abe went directly from his private residence in Tomiya, Tokyo, to Keio University Hospital in Shinanomachi.
html At around 10:30 a.m. on August 17, Prime Minister Abe arrived at Keio University Hospital in Shinanomachi, Tokyo, and stayed in the hospital for about 7 and a half hours. On June 13, Abe went to the hospital for a regular physical examination and a CT examination. He had another long-term medical examination just over two months later, which aroused public speculation. Now he went to the hospital for another examination, which aroused the attention of reporters. 's questioning.
html On the afternoon of the 24th, Abe returned to work at the Prime Minister’s Official Residence. When answering reporters' questions, he told reporters: "Today, I listened in detail to the explanation of last week's inspection results, and also conducted additional inspections. I look forward to carrying out foolproof management of my body, and will continue to work hard from now on."
Abe Answering questions from reporters after going to the hospital. Image source: Japanese Prime Minister’s official residence website.
He said: Today is another inspection, and I will explain the results of this inspection to everyone later.
Abe arrived at Keio University Hospital before about 10 a.m. on the 24th. After getting off the special car, he was escorted by a police officer (SP) and walked into the hospital wearing a mask. A senior government official said that "this is an arrangement that has been made before" and also said that Abe will return to the official residence for work in the afternoon.
As of the 24th, Prime Minister Abe has been in office for 2,799 consecutive days, surpassing his maternal uncle (grandfather’s younger brother) Eisaku Sato, ranking first in terms of consecutive days in office alone.
When talking about his thoughts on the longest tenure as Prime Minister, Abe pointed out: This is thanks to everyone who has supported us so far in the national elections. Even in very difficult times, everyone who still supports me who is beyond their capabilities, Express my sincere thanks.
He said: Politics is not about how long you have been in office, but about what you have accomplished. During these seven years and eight months, I have worked hard every day to implement the policies guaranteed to all citizens and to achieve results. It is the accumulation of this work that has led to today's results.
On the 24th, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga held a press conference. A reporter asked about Prime Minister Abe's physical condition. Suga Yoshihide said: "I heard that there are additional inspections. We meet every day, and I don't think there is any change." "
According to Kyodo News: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe went to his official residence to "go to work" on the afternoon of August 21, and listened to a report on the latest domestic epidemic at the new coronavirus countermeasures meeting. Against the backdrop of concerns about his health, Abe only worked half a day for three consecutive days. Sources at the official residence have repeatedly stressed that Abe's health is "no problem", but that after next week they will continue to work on the "effort-saving mode" of reducing the number of meetings the prime minister is scheduled to attend. At this stage, Abe will not arrange evening dinner parties.
magazine "AERA DOT" reported on the Internet on August 24: A plan has surfaced to directly cede the post of prime minister to Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga without going through an election.
Prime Minister Abe has been in office for a record-breaking time
As of August 24, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has been in office for 2,799 consecutive days since he took office again in 2012, breaking the record for the longest consecutive time in office for a Japanese prime minister. However, Abe's recent frequent visits to the hospital have raised concerns about his health.
The total number of days in office since Abe became prime minister again in 2012 exceeded the 2,798 days of his maternal uncle and former Japanese Prime Minister Eisaku Sato. On August 24, 2020, Abe set a historical record in Japan and became the longest continuously serving prime minister. . If his first term in office is included, Abe became the longest-serving Japanese prime minister in November last year. In September and October 2021, Abe’s terms as president of the Liberal Democratic Party and members of the House of Representatives will expire one after another.
Abe was born in Yamaguchi Prefecture in 1954. He was elected Prime Minister of Japan at the end of September 2006, becoming the first post-war born and the youngest post-war prime minister. In September of the following year, he resigned as prime minister due to health reasons such as a sharp drop in approval ratings and ulcerative colitis.In December 2012, Japan held a House of Representatives election. Abe led the Liberal Democratic Party to win the election and became the Prime Minister of Japan again. Since then, Abe has been in power continuously to this day.
Although Abe broke the record on the 24th and became the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history, recent rumors about Abe's personal health and resignation have attracted considerable attention in Japan.
Abe has frequently visited the hospital for medical treatment recently, causing people to worry about his health. On August 17, Abe stayed at Keio University Hospital for seven and a half hours. Relevant sources at the hospital said that Abe had a physical examination in June, and this time it was a further physical examination.
Abe only worked half-day shifts for three consecutive days after finishing his vacation on the 19th. People around him said that this was to allow him to get more rest. Abe went to Keio University Hospital for medical treatment again on the 24th. This was the second consecutive week that Abe went to see a doctor. The Japanese Prime Minister's official residence said that day that he was following the doctor's advice before going to the hospital.
TV Tokyo said that although Prime Minister Abe has been in power for a long time, he has also been criticized for his ineffective response to the epidemic. At the same time, many people are worried about Abe’s personal health. Therefore, Abe may not be able to complete the constitutional amendment and resolve the conflict with Russia during the remaining term of his term. territorial disputes and other issues. Four opposition parties, including the Cadet Democratic Party, recently held a meeting between the chairpersons of the National Diet Countermeasures Committee and agreed that the Japanese government should explain the prime minister's health status to the people.
Japanese political scholars say that as a rare long-term prime minister in Japanese politics in recent years, Abe has indeed done a lot and left some results. However, these achievements have not yet had a profound impact on Japan's future development. For example, Japan's aging population and low birthrate are still serious problems, and the Japanese economy is still deep in deflation. This is a shortcoming or failure of Abe's long-term governance. Abe still has one year left in his term, and he cannot rule out the possibility of making major changes in Japan before September next year. If he ends up only being known as "the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history", it will be a huge regret for Abe personally and for Japan.
