Key Facts
• In July 2025, Sanseitō Party made major gains in the House of Councillors election.
• Atsushi Suzuki (37), Sanseitō’s House of Representatives Diet Affairs Committee Chair, was reported in July 2025 for an extramarital affair.
• Suzuki was seen staying at a hotel with a woman in her early 20s, identified as his private secretary “A”.
• “A” handles Suzuki’s official SNS, speech writing, and sometimes drives him.
• On December 13, Suzuki and “A” visited an arcade at Umihotaru Parking Area around 5:30 PM.
• After playing crane games and flirting, Suzuki’s vehicle hit an obstacle during a sudden U-turn near Choshi.
• The white van’s front bumper was severely damaged; police arrived but treated it as a property damage accident.
• Suzuki then drove the damaged vehicle to an ocean-view hot spring hotel in Asahi City.
• Suzuki declined to comment directly, saying “Please go through the party.”
• Party insiders criticized Suzuki’s conduct as unfit for a national legislator.
• About a month earlier, Suzuki and “A” spent a night together at his apartment.
Summary
The Sanseitō Party, which surged in the July 2025 House of Councillors election, continues expanding its influence. However, controversy surrounds Atsushi Suzuki, the party’s Diet Affairs Committee Chair, who was caught lodging with a woman in her early 20s, acting as his private secretary. Their relationship, involving personal and professional overlap, drew attention after they were seen flirting at an arcade and subsequently involved in a traffic accident caused by a sudden U-turn. Despite the damage, Suzuki continued to a seaside hot spring hotel. Suzuki refused direct comment, deferring to the party. Party members condemned his behavior as inappropriate for a national legislator, especially given his complicated marital history and prior scandal reports. This incident raises questions about Suzuki’s suitability for public office amid ongoing personal controversies.
