Naoto Kan, Japan's Finance Minister addresses a press conference in Tokyo, capital of Japan, on June 3, 2010. Japan's DPJ chooses Naoto Kan as new Party President on June 4. Photo: Xinhua

Naoto Kan, two-time DPJ leader.

Also deputy prime minister, Kan, 63, is a veteran in the DPJ. He co-founded the party in 1996 and has led the party twice.

Born on October 10, 1946 in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Kan was a graduate of the Tokyo Institute of Technology. After being engaged in civic activities in the 1970s, he was first elected to the lower chamber of Japan's Diet in 1980 as a member of a small opposition party.

In September 1996, Kan co-founded the DPJ with Hatoyama and served as the party's co-president. In September 1997, Kan was elected as party president and reelected in January 1998. He remained in the position until September 1999, despite the DPJ's merger with three other smaller parties.

From September 2000 to September 2002, Kan served as secretary-general of the DPJ. In December 2002, he was elected again as party president until he resigned in May 2004.

Kan became deputy prime minister in September of 2009 in the Hatoyama administration and has been finance minister since January 2010.