Retiring Ex-PM Kan Calls for Another Change of Govt in Japan
Tokyo, Oct. 8 (Jiji Press)--Former Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan held his retirement press conference on Tuesday, calling for another change of government in the country.
Kan, 77, a member of the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan, will not run in the upcoming general election for the House of Representatives.
"I hope a change of government will be realized again," he said. "It is desirable for a democracy to have a change of government at least once every few years."
"I feel that I did everything I could do," Kan said of his 44-year political career since he was first elected to the Lower House in 1980.
"I was able to do important work," he continued, noting that he dealt with an HIV-contaminated blood scandal as health minister in 1996 and led the response to the March 2011 massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster as prime minister.
(2024/10/08-18:29)
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