The 92-year-old Zimbabwean leader is currently visiting Japan at the invitation of Abe who is keen to further diplomatic ties ahead of the Sixth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD VI), which will be held in Kenya this August.
At a press conference Monday Abe welcomed his guest, describing Mugabe as an “iconic” leader of Africa.
However, the Reuters video (see below) shows the Zimbabwean leader apparently snoozing, prompting Twitter quips that he wasn’t napping but “concentrating deeply”.
Mugabe turned 92 this February and has lately shown signs of struggling with his advanced age and claimed poor health.
He became a global internet sensation after stumbling at Harare airport in February last year. In October, he would also need to prompt intervention of the host Prime Minister as he nearly tumbled to the ground on a visit to India.
During a recent interview with a UK weekly, former vice president Joice Mujuru said she would end up chairing meetings as the Zanu PF leader often fell asleep during cabinet sessions.
Mugabe refuses to retire, insisting he is still in fine health and claiming that Zimbabweans want him to continue in office.
He told Japanese journalists that Zimbabweans should not have elected him in 2013 if they were not happy with his rule.
He insisted that he would run for another term in 2018 when he would be 94 years-old, arguing that elections due then were only two years away.
WATCH VIDEO BELOW:
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