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Japan PM Kan unveils new cabinet | |
(about 6 hours later) | |
Naoto Kan previously served as deputy PM and finance minister | Naoto Kan previously served as deputy PM and finance minister |
Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan has named his cabinet and is due to be formally sworn in by Emperor Akihito. | |
As expected, he chose his former deputy Yoshihiko Noda to replace him as finance minister, while the foreign and defence ministers remain in office. | |
Mr Kan was elected prime minister by lawmakers on Friday, two days after the abrupt resignation of Yukio Hatoyama. | Mr Kan was elected prime minister by lawmakers on Friday, two days after the abrupt resignation of Yukio Hatoyama. |
Mr Hatoyama stepped down amid tensions over a controversial US military base on the island of Okinawa. | |
Mr Kan has assured President Barack Obama that he will relocate the base, as agreed, despite anger from locals who want it moved off Okinawa entirely. | Mr Kan has assured President Barack Obama that he will relocate the base, as agreed, despite anger from locals who want it moved off Okinawa entirely. |
Despite the unpopular move, Mr Kan enjoys poll ratings above 60% as his Democratic Party (DPJ) faces an election for the upper house next month. | Despite the unpopular move, Mr Kan enjoys poll ratings above 60% as his Democratic Party (DPJ) faces an election for the upper house next month. |
Traditional ceremony | Traditional ceremony |
As had been widely expected, Mr Kan has retained many top ministers in his cabinet, including Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and Defence Minister Toshimi Kitazawa. | |
Mr Noda, his former deputy finance minister and a fiscal conservative, will head the finance ministry. | |
The BBC's Roland Buerk in Tokyo says Mr Okada's main task will be to repair ties with the US, damaged by the lengthy deliberations over the future of Okinawa. | |
Mr Noda has already said he will rein in Japan's borrowing - the country has the largest debt in the industrialised world. | |
Among the new faces in the cabinet is Renho, a popular television presenter who goes by one name. | |
The 42-year-old, known for her tough questioning of bureaucrats in debates over public spending, has been appointed minister of administrative reform. | |
Announcing the appointments, Yoshito Sengoku, the new chief cabinet secretary, said the ministers were "young, fresh and enthusiastic about their jobs". | |
"Prime Minister Kan has appointed the ministers mindful of the need to form a government with professionalism, very clean politics and ability to govern," he said. | |
Mr Kan, who previously served as finance minister and deputy prime minister, is expected to gather his cabinet for its first meeting on Tuesday morning. | Mr Kan, who previously served as finance minister and deputy prime minister, is expected to gather his cabinet for its first meeting on Tuesday morning. |
In keeping with tradition, ministers will don ceremonial tuxedos and go to the emperor's palace in central Tokyo to be formally sworn in. | In keeping with tradition, ministers will don ceremonial tuxedos and go to the emperor's palace in central Tokyo to be formally sworn in. |
Japanese newspapers have welcomed the "son of a salary man" to the post of prime minister, contrasting his ordinary background to the privileged roots of recent prime ministers. | |
On Monday, Mr Kan reshuffled the DJP party leadership. | On Monday, Mr Kan reshuffled the DJP party leadership. |
He announced that Yukio Edano would take over as secretary general of the party, replacing the powerful Ichiro Ozawa, who stepped down last week. | He announced that Yukio Edano would take over as secretary general of the party, replacing the powerful Ichiro Ozawa, who stepped down last week. |
Shinji Tarutoko, who challenged Mr Kan for the leadership, was named the DPJ's parliamentary affairs chief. | Shinji Tarutoko, who challenged Mr Kan for the leadership, was named the DPJ's parliamentary affairs chief. |