Date of birth: Oct. 10, 1946

Party: DPJ

Electoral district: Lower House; Tokyo No. 18 (10th term)

Kan, who began his political career as a civic activist in the 1970s, is the first prime minister since Tomiichi Murayama to hail from an ordinary family without immediate ties to politicians.

Known for his experience in fighting bureaucrats — most notably over the HIV-tainted blood products debacle as health minister in 1996 — Kan has been considered a likely successor to Yukio Hatoyama since the DPJ took power last year.

While serving in key positions as deputy prime minister and finance minister, Kan appeared to have kept a low profile during the Hatoyama administration, but was quick to throw his hat into the DPJ presidential race once Hatoyama announced his resignation.

A graduate of the Tokyo Institute of Technology, Kan was first elected into the Lower House in 1980 from a tiny opposition party after running unsuccessfully in three national elections.

Kan formed the original version of the DPJ in 1996 with Hatoyama and others. After creating the current incarnation of the DPJ in 1998, he served twice as leader of the then main opposition party.