Japan PM reveals wealth amid talk of recession pain

TOKYO (Reuters) - Two BMWs and property worth more than $4 million were listed on Friday among the assets of Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso and his family, amid debate over whether the wealthy leader is out of touch with average voters.

The disclosure of the 68-year-old premier's assets came after media and opposition lawmakers charged that Aso, who has been making nightly visits to exclusive bars, may quite not feel the pains of ordinary people hit by recession.

Aso and his immediate family -- his wife, son and daughter -- have assets worth about 455 million yen ($4.66 million), records disclosed by the prime minister showed, making him the second-richest politician in his cabinet.

The premier, born into a wealthy family of politicians and industrialists, owns properties in an exclusive Tokyo area and in southern Japan, as well as three cars including a 1972-model BMW, 58 artworks and seven golf club memberships, the records showed.

The grandson of a former prime minister, Aso also holds shares in a family-run company and other firms, but the records did not give the value of the holdings.

The wealthiest cabinet member was Internal Affairs minister Kunio Hatoyama, also the grandson of a former prime minister, with assets worth 765 million yen.

In Japan, the average amount of savings for households over two people is 16.9 million yen, according to government data.

Aso has been pondering whether to call a snap election for the lower house for late November, but he may delay doing so as worries grow about falling public ratings and fallout on Japan's faltering economy from the global financial crisis, analysts say.