0 1 2 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁deput y ▁chairman ▁of ▁the ▁L DP ' s ▁house ▁committee ▁on ▁Diet ▁policy . ▁In ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁director ▁of ▁the ▁House ' s ▁Bud get ▁Committee . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁A oki ▁was ▁appointed ▁by ▁Prime ▁Minister ▁Shin zo ▁A be ▁as ▁a ▁parliament ary ▁vice - secret ary ▁for ▁Land , ▁In frastr ucture , ▁Transport ▁and ▁Tour ism ▁alongside ▁Ken ich iro ▁U eno ▁and ▁Tak ashi ▁ Ō ts uka . ▁He ▁retained ▁the ▁role ▁in ▁A be ' s ▁next ▁cabinet ▁that ▁was ▁formed ▁after ▁the ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 4 ▁House ▁of ▁Representatives ▁election , ▁but ▁was ▁replaced ▁during ▁a ▁sh uffle ▁in ▁October ▁ 2 0 1 5 . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 5 ▁A oki ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁six ▁L DP ▁Coun c ill ors ▁from ▁rural ▁districts ▁who ▁were ▁opposed ▁to ▁the ▁party ' s ▁policy ▁of ▁mer ging ▁smaller ▁districts ▁to ▁address ▁the ▁problem ▁of ▁vote ▁mal app ort ion ment . ▁A oki ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁Coun c ill ors ▁ex ited ▁the ▁House ▁before ▁a ▁vote ▁on ▁a ▁bill ▁that ▁merged ▁A oki ' s ▁Sh im ane ▁district ▁with ▁the ▁neighbour ing ▁T ott ori ▁at - large ▁district , ▁the ▁two ▁smallest ▁districts ▁in ▁the ▁country , ▁amongst ▁other ▁changes ▁to ▁district ▁representation . ▁▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁re - e lection ▁campaign ▁Following ▁the ▁