Japan’s Abe heads for extended PM term after ruling party leadership vote

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe won a ruling party leadership vote on Thursday, setting him on track to become Japan’s longest-serving premier. If Abe, who resigned abruptly after a troubled 2006-2007 term, stays in office through November 2019, he will have exceeded the 2,886 days served by Taro Katsura in the early 20th century, Reuters said. Abe, who surged back to power in 2012 promising to reboot the economy and strengthen defense, defeated former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba in the Liberal Democratic Party leadership election. “I want to tackle constitutional reform together with all of you,” Abe told the LDP. Abe must also keep economic growth on track. He has the immediate challenge of a likely summit with US President Donald Trump next week, when he will face pressure to cut Japan’s $69 billion surplus with its key ally, nearly two-thirds from auto exports.