This article is quoted from BBC learning English dot com
Naoto Kan rose on his feet and bowed to acknowledge the applause as the Diet voted him Prime Minister of Japan.
The former finance minister has made it from humble of beginnings. He’s described his father as ‘ a salaryman’. His four immediate predecessors were the sons or grandsons of prime ministers.
Mr Kan has said his first priority is to revive the sluggish economy, all but certain to be overtaken by China this year as the second biggest in the world. Hi must also try to mend relations with Japan mainly ally’s the United States, strained by the row over an American military base on Okinawa which brought down the last primes minister.
His toughest task may be to recapture the optimism that accompanied the Democratic Party’s rise to power just nine months ago when it ousted the conservatives who dominated the post-war era.
The new primes won’t have long to impress. Election to the less powerful upper house of Diet, seen a referendum on the government performance, are due within weeks.
Roland Buerk, BBC News, Japan.
Japan’s prime minister after Junichiro Koizumi always resigned less than a year. Abe, Fukuda, Aso, Hatoyama could not make any progress in his job as prime minister due short period. Why span of life of prime minister is too short? It seems trend in Japan to bring down someone who at top. So how about Kan prime minister? Do he will at top for long time? lets see then.
