Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said Friday that he will resign once a new leader of his party is elected due to ongoing health issues with ulcerative colitis, per the AP.

Why it matters: Abe, who many thought might retire when his term ended in 2021, has been a key international ally of President Trump and a steady hand at the top of Japanese politics for a long time. The country had been known for its frequent prime ministerial turnover, but Abe has been in power since 2012 — following a short stint from 2006 to 2007.