Japan New Party
Azumi worked at the public broadcaster NHK from 1985 to 1993. He ran for the House of Representatives for the first time in 1993 as an independent (Japan New Party and New Party Harbinger endorsement) in the three-member Miyagi 2nd district, but lost as two Liberal Democrats and one Socialist carried the district for the established parties. He later joined New Party Harbinger and participated in the foundation of the DPJ in 1996. He was elected to the House of Representatives for the first time as a Democratic candidate in the 1996 election in the new single-member Miyagi 5th district.