Trump told Abe he was Japan's greatest PM, White House says
US President Donald Trump called Shinzo Abe the best prime minister in Japanese history throughout a call between your two leaders, a White House spokesman said, days following the Japanese premier said he was stepping down for health reasons.
The two men spoke at length, and Trump told Abe he previously done a "fantastic job" and that the partnership between their two countries was more robust than it has ever been, White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement. "The President called Prime Minister Abe the greatest prime minister in Japan's history," Deere said.
In 2007 Abe resigned abruptly from a youthful term as prime minister as a result of his struggles with ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition that he has lived with since he was a teenager.Abe includes a reputation as a staunch conservative and nationalist, and for stimulating growth along with his aggressive economic policy referred to as "Abenomics".
He has strengthened Japan's defenses and boosted military spending, but has been struggling to revise the constitution's pacifist Article 9, which bans a standing army for anything apart from self-defense.The prime minister said his health started to decline as his ulcerative colitis made a resurgence around the center of July.
He was now acquiring a fresh treatment for the problem which needed to be administered frequently and wouldn't normally give him enough time to carry out his prime ministerial functions, he added.He said he cannot make any mistakes regarding important decision making, and for that reason had made a decision to step down.
"I made a judgment I will not continue my job as a prime minister," he said. "I would like to sincerely apologize to the people of Japan for leaving my post with twelve months left in my term of office, and amid the coronavirus woes, while various policies are still in the process to be implemented," he added, making a bow.
He also expressed regret at not fulfilling his core pledges - forcing North Korea to come back Japanese citizens abducted decades ago; sorting out a territorial dispute with Russia.and overhauling the constitution to provide more capacity to the military. Abe has long suffered from chronic ulcerative colitis. The condition forced him to resign in 2007 - the very first time he headed the government.
