Japan's new prime minister named his Cabinet and vowed to tackle the country's burgeoning debt Tuesday, but analysts said with elections looming he will be hard pressed to hold his ground let alone carry out sweeping reforms.
Kan _ Japan's sixth prime minister in four years _ was sworn in by Emperor Akihito after announcing he would retain most of Yukio Hatoyama's Cabinet. Hatoyama abruptly quit last week after he failed to keep a campaign promise to move the sprawling Marine Corps Air Station Futenma off the southern island of Okinawa.
But Kan moved quickly to distance himself from Hatoyama _ a political blueblood who was seen as indecisive and aloof and resigned after only eight months in office _ by stressing his roots as a civil activist from an average family. GPD © AP
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