[1] While being economist in the financial industry, Sato also served as a member of the Industrial Structure Council of the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI), a member of the Working Group on Taxation Problems of the Ministry of Finance (MOF), an advisor to LDP’s committee on fiscal reconstruction, as well as providing policy recommendations to members of the Bank of Japan’s Policy Board, and other ministries, including the Cabinet Office, of the Japanese government.

Satō was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time in 2005, as part of a group of candidates of Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) hand-picked by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi.

In December 2012, Sato was appointed to the Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Economy, Trade and Industry, to formulate the growth policy for “the Abenomics,” at the time Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took over the government from DPJ.

In October 2018, Sato was appointed as the State Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications, to handle Japan’s telecommunications policy in such cutting-edge areas as 5G, IoT, big data, and artificial intelligence (AI), as well as broadcasting and the Japan Post group.

During her time in the Diet (national legislature), Sato also served on many committees and held several party offices,[3] including: