Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe left his private residence in Tokyo and entered a hospital directly on August 24. This is the second consecutive week that Abe has visited the hospital for medical treatment after the 17th, which is really rare. As of the 24th, Abe has been in power for 2,799 consecutive days, becoming the longest-serving prime minister. However, as concerns about his health condition spread throughout the government and opposition parties, and as measures to deal with the COVID-19 epidemic were criticized, calls for a "post-Abe" gradually emerged.
Abe (second from right) got off the special car and entered the hospital under the escort of a police officer.
According to reports, the 65-year-old Abe arrived at Keio University Hospital before 10 a.m. on the 24th. After getting off the special car, he wore a helmet under the escort of a police officer. Masks go inside buildings. The Prime Minister's Official Residence explained: "The doctor asked me to come back in a week during last week's visit. This visit is a continuation of the last visit." The condition is not yet clear.
On the same day, Abe’s total number of days in office since he became prime minister again in 2012 surpassed the 2,798 days of former Prime Minister Eisaku Sato, becoming the longest continuously serving prime minister in Japan’s history. If his first term in office is included, Abe became the longest serving Japanese Prime Minister in November 2019.
Abe reiterated his determination to continue to serve as national leader that day. He also thanked the Japanese people for their strong support in the election. It said: "Achievements are not how many days a person stays, but what a person accomplishes."
Abe was elected Prime Minister of Japan at the end of September 2006. In September of the following year, Abe announced his resignation due to a sharp drop in support and suffering from ulcerative colitis. . Since then, due to the effect of the drug, he has served as the Prime Minister of Japan again in December 2012.
Abe’s recent frequent visits to the hospital have raised health concerns
Abe’s recent frequent visits to the hospital have raised concerns about his health. On the 17th, Abe stayed in the hospital for as long as 7 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. Four opposition parties including the Cadet Party held talks recently and agreed that the Japanese government should explain the prime minister's health status to the people.
Abe’s term as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party ends at the end of September 2021. The media said that Abe is eager to leave a political legacy before leaving office, but the new crown epidemic has made his road ahead difficult, and the Abe government's performance in responding to the epidemic has been criticized.
Abe’s record-breaking time in power has not brought much excitement within the government. The latest opinion poll results show that the Abe government's support rate is 36%, close to the lowest record of 35.8% since the second term in office. 58.4% of people are dissatisfied with the Abe government's response to the epidemic.
After taking office as Prime Minister for the second time, Abe proposed to get rid of deflation and other ideas and promote the economic policy "Abenomics". However, the number of people benefiting is limited, and criticisms that problems such as widening gaps are not addressed are deep-rooted.
Abe has always advocated the inclusion of the Self-Defense Forces in Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution and other constitutional amendment issues. At present, it cannot be said that he has received widespread support from the opposition parties and public opinion, and there is still a long way to go before it can be realized.
The Abe government’s response to the epidemic has been criticized.
In response to the new crown epidemic, there has been confusion in the government’s policies surrounding the distribution of 100,000 yen (approximately RMB 6,534) per person to citizens. In addition, the practice of issuing cloth masks has also been criticized, and Abe has been questioned about his leadership.
If the rumors that Abe’s health condition is worrying are confirmed, it will be inevitable that the cohesion of the Abe government will decline. This may have an impact on future political situations such as the "post-Abe" trend. Analysts pointed out that the Liberal Democratic Party "absolutely hopes to avoid chaos after resignation," but there is no clear consensus on Abe's successor.
Nandu reporter Shi Minglei
