[2] Following her husband's first stint as prime minister, she opened an organic izakaya in the Kanda district of Tokyo, but was not active in management due to the urging of her mother-in-law.

[citation needed] Akie became popularly known as the "domestic opposition party" due to her outspoken views, which often contradicted her husband's.

On April 27, 2014, she joined the gay pride parade in Tokyo to show her support for broader rights to Japan's LGBT community.

[5] While her husband was in office, Akie developed a close relationship with the Moritomo Gakuen kindergarten in Osaka, which is noted for its conservative and militarist culture, including requiring students to memorize the Imperial Rescript on Education.

[6] The Moritomo Gakuen scandal highlighted the complicated role of the prime minister's wife in Japan: although Akie herself was not considered a civil servant, she was supported by a staff of five civil servants seconded from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, thus implying that her role carries public duties.