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There was another big news today (28th) outside the country. After seven years and eight months in office, Prime Minister Abe, who was setting the record for Japan's longest-running prime minister, has decided to withdraw. We held a press conference saying that it was difficult to maintain a position any longer because of the recurrence of colitis, a chronic disease.

First of all, this is Yoo Seong-jae, Tokyo correspondent.

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Japanese Prime Minister Abe held a press conference and announced that he would withdraw from his post as prime minister.

Prime Minister Abe said he had endured with medicine, saying that it was confirmed that the chronic disease'ulcerative colitis' had recurred, but he said his physical strength has rapidly declined due to an abnormal bowel function that occurred since last month.

Prime Minister Abe explained the background of his resignation, saying that he decided to resign on the 24th, when he visited the hospital most recently, and decided that it should not affect the state affairs by making a serious political judgment due to illness.

[Abe/Japanese Prime Minister: As long as we are not in a state of being able to confidently respond to the beliefs of the people, we have decided that we cannot continue to be the

prime minister .] Prime Minister Abe said he will fulfill his responsibilities until the next Prime Minister is appointed. It implied that he would not appoint a substitute.Prime Minister Abe said, "It's a bit like not to solve the problem of North Korean abduction of Japanese citizens," he said. "It's a feeling of being cut off" about leaving without achieving a constitutional amendment that gives the Self-Defense Forces a military position capable of preemptive strikes.

[Abe/Japanese Prime Minister: I am sorry, but it is very sad that I left such tasks.]

Prime Minister Abe resigned in 2007, one year after he first came to power in 2006, for colitis.

After resuming in 2012, he served as Prime Minister for 7 years and 8 months.

On the 24th, he overtook former Prime Minister Sato Eisaku and achieved the longest tenure in office for 2,799 days in a row.

(Video coverage: Moon Hyeon-jin)  

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