TOKYO (AP) — Japan’s ruling party is expected to approve a change in party rules today that could pave the way for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to become the country’s longest-serving leader in the post-World War II era.
It is a remarkable turnaround for Abe, 62, who lasted only a year during an earlier stint as prime minister, and in a country that had six prime ministers in the six years before Abe returned to office in December 2012.
His Liberal-Democratic Party, at an annual convention today, is expected to rubber stamp a decision by its leaders last fall to allow the head of the party to run for a third three-year term.
The change would allow Abe to stay until 2021, if he can maintain the support of his party and voters, rather than step down in September 2018.
