Japan PM Abe to Resign on Health Problems

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to announce his resignation on health issues, local media announced on Friday, hours before he was scheduled to hold a press conference.

“Abe intends to resign as his illness has worsened and he worries it will cause trouble” in leading the country, national broadcaster NHK said, without identifying their source, reports AFP.

Speculation about the health of the Prime Minister has been circulating for weeks but has reached a fever pitch in recent days after making two different visits to the hospital for unspecific medical examinations.

Mr. Abe is due to hold a press conference at 5 p.m. (0800 GMT) Friday and "he is likely to clarify the reasons" for his resignation, NHK and other media announced.

Mr. Abe took three days of holidays this month, and on 17 August he made an unannounced visit to the hospital, where he stayed for more than seven hours for medical checks.

A week later, he made a second visit to the same hospital for further testing and said at the time that he intended to continue his job.