Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was set to become the longest-serving prime minister in the postwar era on Saturday by serving an accumulated 2,799 days in office, overtaking his great-uncle Eisaku Sato.

Abe has been at the helm of Japanese politics since December 2012. He also served a brief stint as prime minister from 2006 to 2007 before resigning due to health issues.

"In all honesty, the past six years and eight months went by in what felt like a flash," Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga told a news conference Thursday, adding the government has focused on dealing with a number of issues "such as reviving the economy, restructuring our diplomatic and defense relationships and rebuilding our social welfare system," under Abe's leadership.