Nobuko Kan

Nobuko Kan (菅 伸子, Kan Nobuko), born on October 3, 1945, is a Japanese essayist. She is the wife of Naoto Kan, who served as Prime Minister of Japan from June 2010 to September 2011.

Born Nobuko Himei in Konkō, Okayama Prefecture, she is the daughter of a family with medical and political backgrounds. Her father and grandfather were physicians, and her mother was a member of the city council.

Kan pursued higher education at Tsuda University, where she met Naoto Kan. Subsequently, she transferred to Waseda University, enabling her to remain in Tokyo with Naoto Kan. She graduated from Waseda University in 1970, and they married later that winter. Due to their familial relationship as first cousins, their engagement faced opposition from their parents.

Throughout Naoto Kan's political career, Nobuko Kan actively supported him. She participated in election campaigns by engaging directly with constituents, including door-to-door canvassing and speaking to housewives. She has been described by the Irish Times as "a formidable campaign speaker." During her husband's political rise, she also publicly addressed rumors of an affair involving Naoto Kan and a television announcer, publicly reprimanding him for letting his guard down.

During Naoto Kan's tenure as Prime Minister, Nobuko Kan emphasized that she did not wish to be referred to as the "First Lady," preferring to be recognized simply as Naoto Kan's wife.

In her capacity as an essayist, Nobuko Kan authored a book titled "What on Earth Will Change in Japan After You Become Prime Minister?" (Japanese: あなたが総理になって、いったい日本の何が変わるの), published in 2010. The book offers a candid critique of her husband's qualities, including his speech delivery, culinary skills, and fashion sense. Justice Naoto Kan has described her as his toughest critic and has stated that he has not read the book.

Nobuko Kan and Naoto Kan have engaged in political discussions, often holding divergent views on controversial topics such as the death penalty. Naoto Kan has acknowledged that some policies and actions during his leadership were influenced by her advice, including a public apology issued after the government distributed blood contaminated with HIV/AIDS.

Her bibliography includes the 2010 publication mentioned above.