TOKYO (MNI) – Deputy Prime Minister Naoto Kan won Friday a ruling
party election to lead the Democratic Party of Japan, paving the way for
the veteran liberal politician with a grassroots activist background to
assume the premiership later today.
Kan, who currently holds the finance and economic policy cabinet
portfolios, will take over from blueblood politician Yukio Hatoyama, who
announced his resignation on Wednesday after failing to deliver the key
election campaign promise to relocate a controversial U.S. air base
outside the tiny southern island of Okinawa.
Kan, 63, is set to be elected the 94th prime minister of Japan in
parliament on Friday afternoon, as the DPJ holds a majority in the House
of Representatives following its landslide election win last August.
He will inherit the thorny task of guiding Japan out of the
persistent deflation while setting the stage for cutting the
government’s huge public debt and securing a stable source of funds for
rising social security costs due to the nation’s rapidly aging
population.
In a speech to his fellow DPJ lawmakers on Friday morning, Kan said
he would honor the Japan’s diplomatic alliance with the U.S. and work
for Asian prosperity.
Kan won the votes of 291 of the 423 DPJ lawmakers, beating out
Shinji Tarutoko, who is 13 years younger than Kan and won 129 votes.
There were 420 valid votes and one abstention.
Earlier this week Kan had already secured support from party
heavyweights including Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Land Minister
Seiji Maehara.
His election comes at a crucial time for the ruling coalition,
which has suffered slumping public support for the Hatoyama cabinet
ahead national elections for the House of Councillors in July.
msato@marketnews.com
** Market News International Tokyo Newsroom: 81-3-5403-4833 **
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