The Prime Minister of Japan has resigned on health grounds.
PM Shinzo Abe announced his resignation, saying he did not desire to have his sickness affect his decision making.
He has therefore apologized to Japanese for not being able to end his term in office.
Reports say the Prime Minister aged 65 has been battling ulcerative colitis, an inflammatory bowel disease, for many years and that his condition worsened recently.
The PM current term in office started in 2012 and will stay in office until a successor is chosen.
Mr Abe stated that his health started to decline as his ulcerative colitis made a resurgence in the middle of July.
“I made a judgement I should not continue my job as a prime minister,” according to him.
“I would like to sincerely apologise to the people of Japan for leaving my post with one year left in my term of office, and amid the coronavirus woes, while various policies are still in the process of being implemented,” he says.
Press Conference by the Prime Minister https://t.co/MoSpoGgk8Y
Video: https://t.co/LXYJGINp00#PMinAction (August 28) pic.twitter.com/CR96Xpuyk1— PM's Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) August 28, 2020
By Melvin Tarlue