Abe Has a Shot at Becoming Japan's Longest-Serving Leader
- Party members rubber-stamp rule change to allow three terms
- Nationalist kindergarten scandal may present difficulties
Shinzo Abe May Become Japan's Longest-Serving PM
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Shinzo Abe has a shot at becoming the longest-serving prime minister in Japan’s history.
Members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Sunday rubber-stamped a rule change to allow party leaders to serve up to three consecutive three-year terms. The expected move during the party’s annual conference in Tokyo allows Abe, who came into power in late 2012, to potentially stretch his time in office through 2021. His first spell as prime minister ended after a year in 2007.