sentences:  His experience and expertise on pensions led him to be appointed to the Health, Labour, and Welfare Ministry during the administrations of Prime Ministers Yukio Hatoyama and Naoto Kan. After Prime Minister Kan's first cabinet reshuffle, he moved to the DPJ party leadership and became the first vice secretary-general of the party.He continued to be active in the Diet after leaving his cabinet post and became the chairman of the Welfare and Labour Committee in the House of Representatives in 2012.In December the same year, a general election was held and the LDP returned into power.