Finance Minister Naoto Kan prepares to take a dog sled ride during the G7 finance ministers’ meeting in Iqaluit, Canada, on Saturday.
REUTERS

Japanese ministers must serve longer to show int'l presence: Kan

Sunday 07th February, 11:00 AM JST

IQALUIT, Canada —

Finance Minister Naoto Kan said Saturday that cabinet members should serve for at least three or four years to give Japan more of a presence on the international stage. ‘‘It would be difficult to engage in frank discussions’’ with other world leaders if ministers in Japan are changing over and over, Kan told a news conference after the two-day finance meeting of the Group of Seven industrial powers in Canada’s far north.

Kan, who became Japan’s finance minister in January, said this was the conclusion he had formed after attending the meeting, which marked his first major exposure to the international arena. Kan, also deputy prime minister, is Japan’s fourth finance chief in the space of about one year. He is regarded as a possible candidate to succeed Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, should the Democratic Party of Japan weather its recent decline in public support and sustain itself in power over the long term.

Asked whether he wants to remain in his new post for the next three or four years, Kan said he was not speaking about his personal situation. ‘‘I’m saying in general terms that it would be preferable for anyone taking up a ministerial post to serve about four years,’’ a period equal to a full term for House of Representative members, he said.

› Login to comment

Latest 15 of 26 Total Comments Show All

guest at 05:46 PM JST - 7th February

>

Nakagawa's who served relatively a very short term, left long lasting presence internationally

TOO Funnny. .
xpompey8 at 05:53 PM JST - 7th February

Brilliant observation. Six of the Group of Seven countries are probably dizzy from the revolving door of Japanese politicians. I wonder if Kan is taking a shot at the PM.
stirfry at 07:15 PM JST - 7th February

because the average life span of a japanese PM is about 7 months, the rest of the world has already pushed japan way down the food-chain of countries that bear listening to
Triple888 at 07:32 PM JST - 7th February

Wow...somebody finally realized this!
japaneseno1 at 07:46 PM JST - 7th February

wonder why the us president can do his job for 4 year !
japaneseno1 at 07:54 PM JST - 7th February

why doesn't japan learn fm the us ?
gogogo at 08:04 PM JST - 7th February

Could have told you this along time ago, they shuffle PM's every year, no one has any ideas on Japan's long term anything because there isn't one.
OssanAmerica at 09:38 PM JST - 7th February

wonder why the us president can do his job for 4 year ! why doesn't japan learn fm the us ?

Many Americans feel that the President spends 2 years learning the ins and outs of his new job and the next 2 years thinking about how to win re-election. But still better than the revolving door PM office that Japan has had.
gogogo at 10:11 PM JST - 7th February

I think the US 2 x 4 years is just as bad but that's another story.
sharky1 at 10:12 PM JST - 7th February

Does this mean longer terms in office, or longer prison time???
UnagiDon at 10:44 PM JST - 7th February

wonder why the us president can do his job for 4 year !

Because Japan uses a parliamentary system (the best system of government) and the US doesn't, so once the US president is elected you're stuck with him for 4 years unless he dies, resigns, or is impeached.
smithinjapan at 10:50 PM JST - 7th February

I think Kan left out the 'PRIME' before ministers.
smithinjapan at 10:51 PM JST - 7th February

Actually, forget my last comment. If Kan meant Prime Ministers he would have said one year and not three or four.
mareo2 at 10:59 PM JST - 7th February

It sems to me that the J politicians are running out of excuses.
PepinGalarga at 11:52 PM JST - 7th February

I agree with Nuckin. If the Prime Minister himself can't keep his job for more than 12 months, how can the people under him keep theirs.

Japan really needs to change their system to get rid of the parliamentary system, where prime ministers are picked from smoke-filled back rooms. PM's also do not have a fixed time to implent their agenda, and are open to criticism and under threat of removal from day 1.

You can't really implement any long term policy if you could be out of the job at any time. Now, if you ARE incompetent, you should not even get a chance. The Peter Principle is alive and well in Japan.