During the Pacific War, his father, Shuichi, was a lieutenant commander in the Imperial Japanese Navy and captain of the destroyer Yūgiri.

[1] Otsuji briefly attended the National Defense Academy but dropped out in 1961 to support his sister after their mother died.

Reflecting on his youth as en elderly politician, he noted the social unrest at the time and protests against the government of Prime Minister Kishi, and said that lectures were rarely held and there was no worthwhile education to be had.

In December 2012 he resigned to become President of the Japan War-Bereaved Families Association and served as such until 2014.

[6] Otsuji is also the author of several books, including "Africa Travel Diary" and "Going to Bokemon World."