The wife of Japan's new Prime Minister Naoto Kan immediately rejected the title of first lady after Naoto Kan was elected Friday, AFP reported. "I always thought the term 'first lady' isn't suitable in Japan," Nobuko Kan said, "It refers to the wife of a US president." Despite her rare public appearances compared to her outgoing predecessor Miyuki Hatoyama, the 64-year-old housewife, a skilled speaker on the campaign trail, was once likened to Hillary Clinton, now the US secretary of state.(See photo)

据法新社报道，日本新首相菅直人4日当选后，他的妻子菅伸子立刻表示，她拒绝"第一夫人"这一称号。她说："我一直认为'第一夫人'这个称呼不适合在日本使用。'第一夫人'指的是美国总统的妻子。"和外向的前任首相夫人鸠山幸相比，伸子极少抛头露面，但这名64岁的家庭主妇擅长在竞选活动中演说，日本政坛人士曾把她与现任美国国务卿希拉里·克林顿相提并论。(见图)