He would also be banned from running for public office for five years after completion of the prison sentence. Suzuki was paroled on 6 December 2011 after serving one year of prison in Tochigi Prefecture. Later career His ban from running from public office expired on 30 April 2017, allowing him to run again for election. He ran in the 2017 general election as the head of the NPD list for the Hokkaido PR block but was not elected. He ran again in the 2019 House of Councillors election on the National PR list for the Nippon Ishin no Kai. He won the most votes on the party's list, and was thus elected for the first time since being removed from office in 2010. Political positions He is in favour of constitutional amendment, legalisation of same-sex marriage and introduction of surname system for married couples. As an elected member of the Hokkaido Assembly, he has been advocating for the rights of the Ainu people. References 1948 births Living people Japanese politicians convicted of corruption Japanese prisoners and detainees Japan–Russia relations Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Members of the House of Representatives (Japan) People convicted of bribery Perjurers Prisoners and detainees of Japan Takushoku University alumni 21st-century Japanese politicians Politicians from Hokkaido Russophilia