Naoto Kan facts for kids - Kids encyclopedia

Naoto kan biography of barack obama Kan Naoto (born October 10, , Ube, Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan) is a Japanese businessman, politician, and bureaucrat who served as prime minister of Japan (–11). Kan, the son of a salaryman factory manager, was raised in southwestern Honshu, far from the political and economic centre of the country.

Naoto Kan

Prime Minister-elect of Japan
Date of Birth:
Country: Japan

Content:
  1. Early Life and Background
  2. Political Beginnings
  3. Ministerial Roles
  4. Presidency of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)
  5. Prime Ministership
  6. Policy Positions
  7. Personal Life and Legacy

Early Life and Background

Naoki Kan was born on October 10, , in Ube, Yamanashi Prefecture, Japan.

His father was a local businessman. Kan graduated from Tokyo's Koyamadai High School in and subsequently enrolled in the Department of Applied Physics at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.

Political Beginnings

Kan began his political career in by leading a successful election campaign for Fusae Ichikawa, a prominent figure in Japan's feminist movement.

In , he was elected to the House of Representatives for the 18th Tokyo electoral district. Kan joined the Socialist Democratic Federation (SDF), an opposition faction to the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).

Ministerial Roles

In , Kan served as Minister of Health and Welfare in the government of Ryutaro Hashimoto.

He gained recognition for his exposure of a corruption scheme involving HIV-infected blood transfusions to hemophilia patients.

In January , Kan was appointed Minister of Finance by then-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama. He proposed emergency measures to stabilize Japan's financial system amidst the global financial crisis.

Presidency of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)

Kan became the first President of the DPJ in He was re-elected to the position in and Under his leadership, the DPJ became the main opposition party to the LDP.

Prime Ministership

In June , following Hatoyama's resignation, Kan was elected President of the DPJ and subsequently appointed Prime Minister of Japan.

Naoto kan biography of barack Naoto Kan has an important cameo appearance in the Documentary Film SOS: The San Onofre Syndrome directed by James Heddle, Mary Beth Brangan and Morgan Peterson. On a recent interview producer Mary Beth Brangan stated that it was the Fukushima accident what set her and her life partner James Heddle into the making of that film.

His main focus was addressing Japan's massive public debt, which exceeded its GDP.

Policy Positions

Kan supported the revision of Japan's pacifist constitution and opposed the country's participation in the Iraq War. He advocated for a two-party system in Japan and proposed the creation of a new party to represent the interests of baby boomers.

Personal Life and Legacy

Kan is married to Nobuko and has two sons.

His hobbies include playing Go, a Japanese board game, and drinking sake. He is known for his outspoken personality, earning him the nickname "Ira-Kan."

Despite his efforts to address Japan's economic challenges, Kan's popularity waned due to his handling of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster in He resigned as Prime Minister in