Abe Shinzō Becomes Japan’s Longest Continuously Serving Prime Minister
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On August 24, 2020, Abe Shinzō became Japan’s longest continuously serving prime minister ever, having led the country’s government for 2,799 consecutive days since 2012. He overtook the record set by his great-uncle Satō Eisaku half a century ago. Including the 366 days of his brief first tenure as prime minister from 2006 to 2007, Abe became Japan’s longest-serving prime minister by total days in November 2019, moving ahead of Katsura Tarō.
Barring exceptional circumstances, Abe will be in power until September 30, 2021, at the latest, when his term as president of the Liberal Democratic Party expires. However, concerns about his physical state have emerged, as he spent seven and a half hours undergoing health checks at Keiō University Hospital on July 17 and made a further visit on July 24. The timing of the next House of Representatives election is another factor in how many more days he will add to his record.
Longest Continuous Tenures of Japanese Prime Ministers
| Tenure | Days | |
|---|---|---|
| Abe Shinzō | December 2012–August 2020 (still in office) | 2,799 (as of August 24) |
| Satō Eisaku | November 1964–July 1972 | 2,798 |
| Yoshida Shigeru | October 1948–December 1954 | 2,248 |
| Koizumi Jun’ichirō | April 2001–September 2006 | 1,980 |
| Nakasone Yasuhiro | November 1982–November 1987 | 1,806 |
| Katsura Tarō | June 1901–January 1906 | 1,681 |
| Ikeda Hayato | July 1960–November 1964 | 1,575 |
| Itō Hirobumi | August 1892–August 1896 | 1,485 |
| Kishi Nobusuke | February 1957–July 1960 | 1,241 |
| Katsura Tarō | July 1908–August 1911 | 1,143 |
See also: Abe Shinzō Becomes Japan’s Longest-Serving Prime Minister
(Translated from Japanese. Banner photo: © Jiji.)