Shades of Hillary seen in Nobuko

Kan calls his wife Nobuko his political "opposition in the home", and when he took office Friday she immediately rejected the title of first lady.

"I always thought the term 'first lady' isn't suitable in Japan," the well-known straight talker said in a phone interview with TV Asahi after Kan became the new leader of the ruling Democratic Party of Japan.

"It refers to the wife of a US president," she said. "I will do what I can as his wife, but I'd also like to keep my own freedom."