TOKYO: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made history on Wednesday by becoming Japan’s longest-serving political leader, though he hasn’t achieved his biggest goal of revising the nation’s pacifist constitution.

Abe marked his 2,887th day in office, surpassing Taro Katsura from the early 20th century.

Day by day, I have made efforts to achieve the policies that I have promised, and because of these daily efforts I’m here to mark this day, Abe told reporters.

Following his disappointing 2006-2007 term, Abe returned to office in 2012 and has since bolstered Japan’s defence role but hasn’t yet been able to change the constitution and to allow a full-fledged military. Abe and his right-wing supporters have long seen the US-drafted war-renouncing constitution as a legacy of Japan’s World War II defeat and humiliation during US occupation.

Abe has been stepping up his effort to push through a constitutional change before his party leadership, his third term, ends in Sept 2021. Abe has denied rumors that he will seek a fourth term in the absence of a strong successor.

The charter campaign has struggled due to a lack of support among a public more concerned with the economy and social security.

Published in Dawn, November 21st, 2019