 She initially ran as an independent but expressed support for the now-defunct Rainbow and Greens party and later unsuccessfully ran for the National Parliament as a member of the Democratic Party of Japan.In 2005, Kanako Otsuji, from the Osaka Prefectural Assembly (2003-2007), became the first gay politician to formally come out at the Tokyo Gay Pride Festival.She later briefly served on the House of Councillors in 2013.