He graduated from Shizuoka Prefectural Hamamatsu-Nishi Senior and Junior High Schools.
While attending Waseda University, he took up tanka writing and participated in the college's short song festivals.
Kan made his debut as a lyricist in 1979 with Ann Lewis' "Shampoo", which was composed, arranged, and produced by Tatsuro Yamashita.
Kan also wrote lyrics for artists such as Hiromi Go, The Checkers, Agnes Chan, Akina Nakamori, Kyōko Koizumi, Anri, Miho Nakayama, KinKi Kids, Mika Nakashima, and BoA.
[2] A year later, he won the Grand Prix for Nakamori's "Meu amor é..."[3] Kan also wrote screenplays for the films Inamura Jane (1990) and Tokyo no Kyūjitsu (1991).