Koizumi had also made indirect negative remarks toward Tanaka shortly before her removal as Foreign Minister.

In August 2002, Tanaka resigned from the Diet after allegations that she had embezzled her secretaries' civil service salaries.

[4] In September 2009 she became the Diet chairperson of the Committee on Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

On October 1, 2012, she became Minister of Education, Culture, Science, Sports, and Technology, as part of a reshuffle of the Yoshihiko Noda Cabinet.

[7] This sparked a large amount of criticism and after pressure from within the DPJ she reversed her decision and approved the applications.