New Prime Minister Naoto Kan never hid his ambition to one day take up the post and empower ordinary citizens by ousting the long-ruling Liberal Democratic Party.
His long-held goal finally came true Friday, but in a way he probably never imagined while serving for three decades in the opposition ranks. Now his first mission is to guide his scandal-tainted Democratic Party of Japan to victory in the Upper Election in July.
"The first thing I need to do is gain the trust of the people, recover (the reputation of) the party," Kan said Friday in a speech before the vote to choose the new DPJ president.