Shimizu then turned his attention to the House of Councillors election scheduled for July 2013. He contested the two-member Hyogo at-large district for the Restoration Party and finished second in the vote, defeating Democratic Party incumbent Yasuhiro Tsuji by more than 11%. During his first term in the House of Councillors, Shimizu's role has included serving on the House's audit committee, economy and industry committee, and the special committee on the abduction of Japanese citizens by North Korea.