1982, Attorney-at-Law; 1983, elected as a member of HR; 1988-89, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Post and Telecommunications; 1990-90, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Defence; 1991-93, Chairman, Standing Committee on Communications, HR; 1995-96, Chairman, Standing Committee on Rules and Administration, House of Representatives (HR); 1997-98, Minister of State for Science and Technology; 1998-99, State Secretary for Finance; 2000, Chairman, Financial Reconstruction Commission; 2002-03, Minister of State for Food Safety Commission (provisional name); 2002-03, Chairman, National Public Safety Commission; 2002-03, Minister of State for Industrial Revitalization Corporation; 2003-03, Minister of State for Industrial Revitalization Corporation of Japan; 2003-03, Minister of State for Food Safety; since 2003, current position.