The legacy of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who is resigning due to illness

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• Judy Woodruff:

  In Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced today that he is resigning because of a chronic health problem. He has held the post longer than anyone, including a grandfather and great uncle who were also prime ministers.

  Our foreign affairs correspondent, Nick Schifrin, reports.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Shinzo Abe and his family are political veterans, but one of his lasting legacies may be an alliance with a political novice.

• President Donald Trump:

  I grabbed him and hugged him, because that's the way we feel.

• Shinzo Abe (through translator):

  Donald, President, you are excellent businessman. You have fought the uphill struggle in business, the dynamism of democracy.

• Mike Mochizuki:

  He flattered President Trump. And he understood President Trump's personality.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Mike Mochizuki is the U.S.-Japan chair at George Washington University. He says the Abe-Trump bromance, forged over sumo wrestling, golf selfies, and awkward handshakes, strengthened the bilateral relationship to confront China and North Korea and outlast Trump.

• Mike Mochizuki:

  Prime Minister Abe understood the strategic situation. Without a strong U.S.-Japan relationship, Japan would not then have the autonomy and freedom to pursue its own interests in Asia.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Top of the list, a revitalized military.

  Abe's Japan purchased more U.S. weaponry. He failed to revise the country's pacifist constitution, but pushed through changes that allow Japanese forces to fight in a crisis.

• Mike Mochizuki:

  This opened the way for Japan to cooperate with other countries, especially the United States, on a variety of common defense missions.

• Shinzo Abe:

  Abenomics.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Economically, Abenomics lowered interest rates, increased spending, and pulled the economy out of deflation, but it achieved only modest success. He did manage to end political instability and a rotating door of leaders.

• Mike Mochizuki:

  Just to be able to stay in office this long, and to stabilize foreign policy, and chip away at some of the economic challenges, you know, that, in itself, I think, is a lasting achievement.

• Nick Schifrin:

  Abe leaves his successor with major structural economic concerns exacerbated by COVID.

  And, today, in a final press conference, an emotional Abe said it broke his heart to leave the job half done.

  For the "PBS NewsHour," I'm Nick Schifrin.