Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe formally announced that he is stepping down from the top political seat in the country due to his ailing health in a press conference on Friday, Aug. 28.

News outlets in Japan, such as Kyodo and Japan Times reported on Abe's intention to resign hours before his formal announcement, citing a source from the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Before announcing his plan to resign, he spoke about the country's current situation in handling the Covid-19 pandemic, and thanked healthcare workers for toiling for the country.

He stressed the need for more aggressive testing measures in the next months before winter.

Stepping down due to illness relapsing

The longest-serving Prime Minister in Japan's history, Abe expressed his regret in stepping down from the role, bowing in apology for stepping down before resolving the issues that the country was facing at hand.

He brought up his first resignation as Prime Minister in 2007 due to ulcerative colitis, but was able to return to politics and run as Prime Minister again in 2012 after overcoming the disease with the help of a new drug.

He told members of the media that his illness has relapsed.

Citing his poor health, he said that he was unable to perform his duties as Prime Minister without disruptions.

However, he added that he is currently undergoing treatment, and that the treatment has proven to be effective.

He thanked Japanese citizens for allowing him to serve as Prime Minister.

He refrained from commenting about the next successor for the role of Prime Minister, and said that he will leave the decision to the members of the LDP.

Possible five-way fight for PM role

Tsuyoshi Masuda, a commentator for NHK World said that the LDP will likely have five candidates running for the party's presidential role to become Japan's Prime Minister, including Abe's right-hand man, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga.

Suga has been hinted by cabinet members as the most trusted by Abe to succeed him as Prime Minister.

Before news of Abe’s resignation broke, LDP's Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai told a TBS TV program that Suga was favoured to succeed Abe, reported Japan Times.

The other four possible candidates are Japan's Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, Defence Minister Taro Kono, LDP's policy chief Fumio Kishida, and former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba.

Ishiba had challenged Abe for the presidency of the LDP in 2012 but lost.

In a nationwide poll for the most suitable politician to serve as the next Prime Minister conducted by Mainichi in January 2020, Ishiba received a higher vote share than Abe.

However, most voters had picked the "none of the above" option.

Daunting challenges ahead for next PM of Japan

With Japan's Olympic dreams still in limbo due to the Covid-19 pandemic, a daunting challenge lies ahead of the politician that takes up the role of Japan's next Prime Minister.

Furthermore, the ruling party's popularity has taken a dire hit with its seemingly lacklustre handling of the pandemic.

The next Prime Minister will face a challenging task to lift the party's approval rating before the country's next national election, which must be called by October 2021.

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Top image via TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images