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| Prime Minister Shinzo Abe |
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- The ruling Liberal Democratic Party decided Sunday to extend its term limit on party leaders, potentially allowing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to remain in his role until September 2021.
Abe's tenure as president of the LDP was set to run out in September next year before the rule change, which would have meant stepping down as prime minister even if the LDP was still in power.
The party, holding its annual convention at a Tokyo hotel, approved extending the limit to three consecutive three-year terms from the previous two consecutive three-year terms.
This means Abe can stand for re-election in the next party leadership vote in the fall of next year.
Abe, 62, served as prime minister for around a year before resigning in September 2007. He became prime minister again when the LDP returned to power in December 2012 after a three-year period in opposition.
Taking both his stints in power into account, Abe could become the longest serving prime minister in Japanese history if he is still in the role in November 2019.
Read the full story at The Mainichi