Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe intends to resign for health reasons, local media reported Friday.

His office has not yet confirmed the reports by national broadcaster NHK and other Japanese media. Neither did his Liberal Democratic Party.

Speculation about Abe’s resignation emerged earlier this year, as he visited a Tokyo hospital in two consecutive weeks for health checkups. No details were made public at the time.

Abe, 65, has acknowledged, however, having ulcerative colitis since he was a teenager and said he was undergoing treatment for the condition.

He was expected to give more information about his health at a press conference later Friday, after holding a meeting with top officials at the party headquarters.

On Monday, Abe became Japan’s longest serving prime minister by consecutive days in office, breaking the record of his great-uncle, Eisaku Sato, who served 2,798 days from 1964-72.

Because of his second hospital visit on Monday, no festivities took place, which accelerated speculation about his possible resignation and his replacement.