By AFP

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Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is to announce his resignation over health issues, local media reported Friday, hours before he was due to address a press conference.

"Abe intends to resign as his illness has worsened and he worries it will cause trouble in leading the country," national broadcaster NHK said, without identifying their source.

Speculation about the prime minister's health has been swirling for weeks but reached fever pitch in recent days after he made two separate trips to hospital for unspecified medical checks.

Abe is scheduled to hold a press conference at 5pm (0800 GMT) Friday and "he is likely to explain reasons" for his resignation, NHK and other media reported.

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (centre) arrives at a hospital in Tokyo on August 24, 2020. He set a new record for the longest consecutive term in office but faced growing speculation about his health as he returned to hospital. PHOTO | AFP

Abe took three days of holidays this month and on August 17 made an unannounced hospital visit, staying there for more than seven hours for medical checks.

He made a second visit to the same hospital a week later for additional tests and said at the time that he intended to continue in the job.