Japan Elects New Prime Minister Naoto Kan Wins Democratic Vote

by Paul Conneally | June 4, 2010 at 01:45 am

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Japan Has New Prime Minister Naoto Kan

Japan has elected Naoto Kan as its fith prime minister in four years. he succeeds Yukio Hatoyama who resigned Wednesday.

Mr. Kan is now the leader of the ruling Democratic Party and will now be formally appointed as prime minister of japan by Emperor Akihito.

"My task is to rebuild this nation," said Kan, who was later confirmed as prime minister in the Democrat-dominated lower house. Media reports said he would wait until early next week before naming a cabinet.

The Democratic Party won a landslide victory in August 2009 ending a half-century of one-party rule but has lost much public support over Hatoyama's handling of the issues around the fate of an American military base on japanese soil.

Mr.Kan has vowed to tackle Japan's two decade stagnation.

Mr. Kan is the latest in what has been nearly a turnstile procession of prime ministers in recent years. Shinzo Abe served exactly one year, resigning under pressure in September 2007. He was succeeded by Yasuo Fukuda and then Taro Aso, each of whom served one year. Mr. Hatoyama took office on Sept. 16, 2009.