After honing his skills as a politician in the Saga Prefectural Assembly (where he eventually became speaker), he was elected to the House of Representatives in 1969 on a ticket from the Liberal Democratic Party. After that, he won reelection ten times in a row. In Yasuhiro Nakasone's second cabinet, he was named Transport minister. In Nakasone's third cabinet he was to lead the Management and Coordination Agency.
^山下徳夫氏死去=元官房長官 [Former Chief Cabinet Secretary Norio Yamashita passes away] (in Japanese). Jiji Press. 2 January 2014. Archived from the original on 3 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
^山下徳夫元厚相が死去国鉄民営化に尽力 [Former Minister of Health, Labor and Welfare Norio Yamashita passes away. He was instrumental in privatizing the Japanese National Railways.] (in Japanese). Kyodo. 2 January 2014. Archived from the original on 2 January 2014. Retrieved 3 January 2014.
Political offices
Preceded by
Kichizo Hosoda
Minister of Transportation 1984–1985
Succeeded by
Hiroshi Mitsuzuka
Preceded by
Kazuo Tamaki
Director General of the Management and Coordination Agency 1987