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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s medical complaint, which forced him to resign a second time on Friday, is a chronic condition that can cause long-lasting ulcers and inflammation in the digestive tract.
Known as ulcerative colitis, it affects the innermost lining of the large intestine and rectum, and symptoms develop over time rather than sudden onset.
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Abe is believed to have had the complaint from a young age (he has spoken of flare-ups when he was in high school), although his symptoms have worsened considerably in recent months. Ulcerative colitis usually occurs intermittently, sometimes with years between flare-ups.
Abe has been outspoken about his condition and confirmed to national media that he started taking Asacol, or 5-aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), in 2009, two years after he first resigned as prime minister. The drug was recently approved in Japan, but had been available in other countries for some time.
“If this drug, Asacol, had taken longer to appear on the Japanese market, it is quite possible that I would not be where I am today,” Abe said in a speech in 2013, underscoring how debilitating his condition had become. .
“For that very reason, I consider it my role and destiny to restore and enrich the lives of patients suffering from intractable diseases.”
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Symptoms of the condition can include diarrhea, often with blood or pus, abdominal pain, cramps, rectal pain, and bleeding. It is also associated with weight loss, fever, and fatigue. An estimated 11.2 million people worldwide are affected by ulcerative colitis and related Crohn’s disease.
Although the exact cause is unknown, diet and stress are suspected to be contributing factors, exacerbating symptoms. Another indication of its cause lies in its higher prevalence in the developed world, which may be the result of less exposure to intestinal infections at an early age or of a westernized diet and lifestyle. Experts also note that it has become more prevalent since the 1950s.
Poor diet is believed to be a contributing factor to ulcerative colitis. Photo: Dreamstime / TNS
One trigger that is currently being studied is a malfunction of the immune system, and ulcerative colitis has been documented to be a hereditary disease.
Ulcerative colitis is known to be debilitating and even life threatening at times. There is currently no known cure, although there are a growing number of treatments that can greatly reduce symptoms, with some even causing long-term remission.
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However, there is a significant risk of complications, including megacolon inflammation, colon perforations, blood clots, inflammation of the eyes, joints, and liver, and even cancer.
Modern medications mean that patients today can largely control ulcerative colitis, but they must undergo regular colonoscopies to screen for cancer.
Abe is known to have undergone comprehensive medical exams, including a colonoscopy, every six months while in the office.
This article What is ulcerative colitis, Shinzo Abe’s medical complaint that led him to resign as Prime Minister of Japan? first appeared on South China Morning Post
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