Kan Cabinet Explained

Cabinet Name:Kan Cabinet
Cabinet Number:94th
Jurisdiction:Japan
Flag:Flag of Japan.svg
Flag Border:true
Date Formed:June 8, 2010
Date Dissolved:September 2, 2011
Government Head:Naoto Kan
State Head:Emperor Akihito
Political Party:DPJPNP Coalition
Legislature Status:HoR: DPJ–PNP Coalition majority
HoC: DPJ–PNP Coalition majority, minority from July 2010
Opposition Party:Liberal Democratic Party of Japan
Opposition Leader:Sadakazu Tanigaki
Election:2010 Japanese House of Councillors election
Predecessor:Hatoyama Cabinet
Successor:Noda Cabinet

The Kan Cabinet was the cabinet governing Japan from June 2010 to September 2011 under the leadership of Prime Minister Naoto Kan, who came into power after winning the DPJ leadership election in June 2010. The Kan Cabinet oversaw the response to the aftermath of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami and the scaling-down of Japan's nuclear energy dependence following the nuclear disaster at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant.

Political background

The previous Prime Minister and DPJ president, Yukio Hatoyama resigned on 2 June 2010 on the background of an unpopular deal with the United States to retain the American military base in Okinawa and the DPJ's low poll numbers. Hatoyama's resignation triggered a DPJ presidential election, which was won by Finance Minister Naoto Kan. On 8 June, Kan was formally appointed by the Emperor as Japan's 94th Prime Minister.[1] The new prime minister conducted a cabinet reshuffle and promoted some senior party members to important portfolios, notable Yoshihiko Noda to the Ministry of Finance and Yoshito Sengoku to the Cabinet Secretariat. Kan became the second DPJ prime minister in just eight months.

In spite of a temporary recovery in approval ratings, the government lost its majority in the House of Councillors in the July 2010 election and was subsequently dependent on parts of the opposition for getting any bill through the now-divided Diet.

His government poorly handled the response to the massive earthquake and tsunami in northeast Japan. The following nuclear accidents at private utility company TEPCO's nuclear power plant in Fukushima spurred the government to change the course of Japan's energy policy. Reversing the pro-nuclear policy of the previous administrations, Kan's government pushed for a conversion to renewable energy and eventual shut-down of Japan's nuclear plants.[2] Japan's nuclear power plants were completely shut down by May 2012, leaving Japan without nuclear-generated electricity for the first time since 1970.[3] Several of the plants were only brought back online after the DPJ was no longer in government. The LDP government led by Shinzo Abe gradually reopened the nuclear plants, starting with Sendai Nuclear Power Plant in Kyushu in August 2015. The restart has been slow due to legal challenges and heavy domestic opposition.[4]

Election of the prime minister

4 June 2010
House of Representatives
Absolute majority (239/477) required
ChoiceVote
CaucusesVotes
Naoto KanDPJ (309), PNP (3), Independent [Speaker] (1)
Sadakazu TanigakiLDP (115), Independent [Vice Speaker] (1)
Natsuo YamaguchiKōmeitō (21)
Kazuo ShiiJCP (9)
Mizuho FukushimaSocial Democratic Party of Japan (7)
Yoshimi WatanabeYour Party (5)
Sunrise Party (3), Hiranuma Group independents (2)
Yōichi MasuzoeIndependent (1)
Did not voteIndependent (2), DPJ (1)
Source: 174th Diet Session (House of Representatives) (roll call only lists individual votes, not grouped by caucus)
4 June 2010
House of Councillors
Absolute majority (119/237) required
ChoiceVote
CaucusesVotes
Naoto KanDPJーShin-RyokufūkaiーPNP (122), Independent (1)
Sadakazu TanigakiLDP (68), Independent [Yasuhiro Ōe and Tamon Hasegawa] (2), Independent [Vice President] (1)
Natsuo YamaguchiKōmeitō (21)
Kazuo ShiiJCP (7)
Mizuho FukushimaSocial Democratic Party of Japan (5), Independent (1)
Yōichi MasuzoeNew Renaissance Party (6)
Sunrise Party (2)
Yoshimi WatanabeIndependent (1)
Did not voteLDP (2), HRP (1), Independent [President] (1)
Vacant
Source: 174th Diet Session (House of Councillors) (lists individual votes grouped by caucus)

Lists of ministers




R = Member of the House of Representatives
C = Member of the House of Councillors
N = Non-Diet member
Italics denote acting minister

Cabinet

Minister! colspan=2
Term
Naoto KanRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for Promotion of Local Sovereignty
Kazuhiro HaraguchiRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Keiko ChibaC → NJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Katsuya OkadaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of FinanceYoshihiko NodaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Tatsuo KawabataRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare
Minister of State for Pension Reform
Akira NagatsumaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Masahiko YamadaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of Economy, Trade and IndustryMasayuki NaoshimaCJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Seiji MaeharaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of the EnvironmentSakihito OzawaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of DefenceToshimi KitazawaCJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Chief Cabinet SecretaryYoshito SengokuRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister of State for Disaster Management
Hiroshi NakaiRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister of State for Postal Reform
Shizuka KameiRJune 8–11, 2010
Yoshito SengokuRJune 11, 2010
Shōzaburō JimiCJune 11 – September 17, 2010
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Satoshi AraiRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Minister of State for the New Public Commons
Koichiro GenbaRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of State for Promotion of Local SovereigntyKazuhiro HaraguchiRJune 8 – September 17, 2010
Minister of State for Government RevitalizationRenhoCJune 8 – September 17, 2010

First reshuffled cabinet

Minister! colspan=2
Term
Naoto KanRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for Promotion of Local Sovereignty
Yoshihiro KatayamaNSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minoru YanagidaCSeptember 17 – November 22, 2010
Yoshito SengokuRNovember 22, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Seiji MaeharaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of FinanceYoshihiko NodaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and TechnologyYoshiaki TakakiRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare
Minister of State for Pension Reform
Ritsuo HosokawaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Michihiko KanoRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of Economy, Trade and IndustryAkihiro OhataRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Sumio MabuchiRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of the Environment
Minister of State for Disaster Management
Ryu MatsumotoRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of DefenceToshimi KitazawaCSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Chief Cabinet SecretaryYoshito SengokuRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food Safety
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Tomiko OkazakiRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister of State for Postal Reform
Shōzaburō JimiCSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Banri KaiedaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of State for the New Public CommonsKoichiro GenbaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of State for Government RevitalizationRenhoCSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011

Second reshuffled cabinet

Minister! colspan=2
Term
Naoto KanRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications
Minister of State for Promotion of Local Sovereignty
Yoshihiro KatayamaNJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Satsuki EdaCJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Seiji MaeharaRJanuary 14 – March 7, 2011
Yukio EdanoRMarch 7–9, 2011
Takeaki MatsumotoRMarch 9 – September 2, 2011
Minister of FinanceYoshihiko NodaRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and TechnologyYoshiaki TakakiRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of Health, Labour, and Welfare
Minister of State for Pension Reform
Ritsuo HosokawaRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Michihiko KanoRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of Economy, Trade and IndustryBanri KaiedaRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and TourismAkihiro OhataRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of the EnvironmentRyu MatsumotoRJanuary 14 – June 27, 2011
Satsuki EdaRJune 27 – September 2, 2011
Minister of DefenceToshimi KitazawaCJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Chief Cabinet Secretary
Minister of State for Okinawa and Northern Territories Affairs
Yukio EdanoRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Chairman of the National Public Safety Commission
Minister for the Abduction Issue
Kansei NakanoRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for Disaster ManagementRyu MatsumotoRJanuary 14 – July 7, 2011
Tatsuo HiranoCJuly 7 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for Financial Services
Minister of State for Postal Reform
Shōzaburō JimiCJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for Consumer Affairs and Food SafetyRenhoCJanuary 14 – June 27, 2011
Goshi HosonoRJune 27 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for Economic and Fiscal Policy
Minister of State for Measures for Declining Birthrate
Minister of State for Gender Equality
Minister for Total Reform of Social Security and Tax
Kaoru YosanoRJanuary 14 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for Science and Technology Policy
Minister of State for the New Public Commons
Minister for Space Policy
Koichiro GenbaRSeptember 17, 2010 – January 14, 2011
Minister of State for Government RevitalizationRenhoCJanuary 14 – June 27, 2011
Yukio EdanoRJune 27 – September 2, 2011
Minister of State for the Corporation in Support of Compensation for Nuclear Damage
Minister for Power Saving Promotion
Minister for the Restoration from and Prevention of Nuclear Accident
Goshi HosonoRAugust 10 – September 2, 2011

External links

Notes and References

  1. News: Kan elected prime minister. Asahi Shimbun. 4 June 2010. 4 September 2010.
  2. News: Ex-PM: Japan was unprepared for nuke crisis. 17 February 2012. Associated Press. Boston.com . Yamaguchi. Mari. Foster. Malcolm.
  3. Web site: Japan shuts down last working nuclear reactor . David Batty . May 5, 2012 . The Guardian .
  4. News: Governor states firm opposition to Hamaoka plant restart. Asahi Shimbun. 29 June 2017. 30 November 2017.