is a Japanese politician who has served as Secretary-General of the Liberal Democratic Party since 2025 and previously served as minister of finance from 2021 to October 2024. He sits in the House of Representatives as a member of the Liberal Democratic Party.
Background and career Suzuki was born on 13 April 1953 on Tokyo, the son of Zenko Suzuki, a diet member from Iwate Prefecture who rose to serve as prime minister from 1980 to 1982. His elder sister Chikako is married to Tarō Asō. Suzuki graduated from Waseda University in 1977, and was employed by the National Federation of Fisheries Co-operative Associations. In April 1985, he became secretary to his father.時事ドットコム：国会議員 鈴木 俊一（すずき しゅんいち）, 時事通信社.
Suzuki was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 1990, when his father retired. He served as Minister of the Environment from 2002 to 2003 under Prime Minister Jun'ichirō Koizumi.Official website, suzukishunichi.jp; accessed 18 June 2015.
Suzuki served as Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games twice under Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Suzuki was Minister of Finance under Prime Minister Fumio Kishida from 2021 to 2024. He authorised foreign-exchange interventions to counter the sharp depreciation of the yen.
After Sanae Takaichi was elected as LDP president in October 2025, she appointed Suzuki as secretary general.
Political positions Suzuki is affiliated to the openly revisionist lobby Nippon Kaigi,Nippon Kaigi website and is a member of the Shikōkai faction of the LDP. He gave the following answers to the questionnaire submitted by Mainichi to parliamentarians in 2012:senkyo.mainichi.jp/46shu/kaihyo_area_meikan.html?mid=A03002001001 Mainichi 2012 , senkyo.mainichi.jp; accessed 18 June 2015. in favor of the revision of the Constitution in favor of the right of collective self-defense (revision of Article 9) against the reform of the national legislature (unicameral instead of bicameral) in favor of reactivating nuclear power plants against the goal of zero nuclear power by 2030s in favor of the relocation of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma (Okinawa) in favor of evaluating the purchase of Senkaku Islands by the Government in favor of a strong attitude versus China against the participation of Japan to the Trans-Pacific Partnership against a nuclear-armed Japan against the reform of the Imperial Household that would allow women to retain their Imperial status even after marriage
Scandal Opposition to the indoor smoking ban in his position as Minister of the Olympics: Suzuki has long been opposed to an indoor smoking ban, and immediately after his appointment as Minister of the Olympics in August 2017, he repeated statements such as, "Smoking should not be a principle, but should be achieved through thorough separation of smoking." He also said that he was opposed to a smoking ban indoors. Since this was contrary to the policies of the IOC and WHO, which promote a tobacco-free Olympics, the fact that he made the statement in his capacity as Minister of the Olympics was viewed as problematic. When questioned by the press about his consistency, he effectively retracted his statement, saying that it was "an introduction to past discussions within the Liberal Democratic Party."
Personal life Suzuki and his wife belong to political dynasties: former Prime Ministers Zenkō Suzuki and Tarō Asō are respectively his father and his brother-in-law; his wife Chikako is related to Heikichi Ogawa and Prime Minister Kiichi Miyazawa.
References
External links
Suzuki Shunichi profile, jimin.jp; accessed 18 June 2015.