Japan Prime Minister to resign

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is going because of illness, local media reported Friday. He was seen visiting hospital on Monday (August 24) for the second time in a week.

"Abe intends to resign as his illness has worsened and he worries it will cause trouble" in leading the country, Quoting national broadcaster NHK, Japan times and Bloomberg said.

Abe, 65, had been prime minister for nearly eight years. He took charge of the office in 2012. He is known to suffer from ulcerative colitis, a chronic condition that was partly responsible for forcing him out of office after just a year during his previous term as prime minister in 2007.