It wasn¡¯t so long ago that Shinzo Abe appeared on course to becoming Â鶹´«Ã½ longest-serving prime minister ever.
But after his conservative Liberal Democratic Party¡¯s crushing defeat in Sunday¡¯s Tokyo assembly election, Abe¡¯s iron grip on power has finally shown signs of slipping ¡ª a setback critics say is the biggest crisis he has faced since his sweeping return to power in December 2012.
¡°This is a very stern rebuke from the public that we must do some serious soul-searching about,¡± NHK showed a grim-faced Abe telling reporters at his Tokyo office Monday morning.
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