Japan's Abe becomes longest-serving prime minister in nation's history

TOKYO - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday vowed to make an all-out effort to tackle his policy goals such as ending deflation, dealing with the nation's aging population and declining birthrate, as well as revising the Constitution.

The Japanese leader made the remarks as he became the longest-serving prime minister in Japanese history on Wednesday, marking 2,887 days in office during his current tenure since returning to power in 2012 and in a brief stint at the helm between 2006-2007.

"I still have nearly two years left in my term as president of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). Under the weight of my responsibility, I will make an all-out effort to tackle policy goals, remembering the time when I first started out feeling nervous as if walking on thin ice," Abe, speaking from his office, told reporters.

Abe, 65, said that there are some key policies on his agenda that he still intends to tackle, with these including declaring an end to deflation, tackling the issue of the country's aging population coupled with a declining birth rate and resolving diplomatic challenges left unaddressed since the end of World War II.

"Beyond that, revising the Constitution is also on the horizon," Abe added.