JAPAN PM NAOTO KAN VOWS ACTION ON DEBT AND US TIES
Baku, June 8 (AZERTAC). Japan`s incoming Prime Minister Naoto Kan has vowed to make the country more "vigorous", tackle national debt and improve relations with the US.
Mr Kan was speaking before being sworn in to office by Emperor Akihito. His appointment on Friday followed the abrupt resignation of Yukio Hatoyama. Mr Kan earlier named his new cabinet, keeping 11 of the 17 ministers in place and appointing his former deputy Yoshihiko Noda as finance minister.
Mr Hatoyama stepped down last week, amid tensions over a controversial US military base on the island of Okinawa. Mr Kan, the former finance minister, has assured President Barack Obama that he will relocate the base to the north of the island 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.
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