Known for his quick temper, Mr. Kan, 63, gained national attention in the mid-1990s when as health minister he exposed the use of blood tainted with H.I.V..

63岁的菅直人以耿直著称，在上个世纪九十年代中期，时任厚生省大臣的他勇敢揭穿了医疗中使用HIV污染的血液的严重事件。