(as were all former government members) by the Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers and held in Sugamo Prison on charges of war crimes. However, he was released in 1948 without coming to trial. Afterwards, Aoki established a private legal practice. In 1953, he ran for a seat in the House of Councilors with the support of the Liberal Party on a nationwide ticket. He was subsequently reelected to the same seat three more times as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). He joined a right-wing faction within the LDP in 1960 which was adamantly opposed to Japan’s normalization of relations with the People’s Republic of China and supported Japan’s continued recognition of the Republic of China on Taiwan. He was also a strong supporter of building a nationwide network of highways in Japan, especially the Chūō Expressway. After his retirement from politics, Aoki joined the Board of Directors of Shin-etsu Broadcasting, and in 1968 was one of the founders of the Nagano Broadcasting Systems. In 1971, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun, 1st class. He published his memoirs in 1981, shortly before his death in 1982. References External links |- |- |- |- |- 1889 births 1982 deaths People from Nagano Prefecture University of Tokyo alumni Ministers of Finance of Japan Government ministers of Japan Members of the House of Peers (Japan) Members of the House of Councillors (Japan) Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Liberal Party (Japan, 1945) politicians Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun