 He briefly served as vice-governor of Kyoto in 1978, but resigned to establish and serve as the chairman of Japan's first care facility for individuals with profound physical disabilities.Nonaka entered the House of Representatives through the Kyoto 2nd district by-election of 1983, in which two seats were open following the death of incumbent representatives Shigesaburo Maeo and Sen'ichi Tanigaki.Tanigaki's son Sadakazu Tanigaki won the most votes in the election, followed by Nonaka.