Former Kanagawa Gov. Shigefumi Matsuzawa said Thursday he will join entertainment agency Yoshimoto Creative Agency Co., possibly an attempt to raise his profile before returning to politics.

Matsuzawa, 53, who abandoned plans to run in Tokyo's gubernatorial election in April on the back of two four-year terms as Kanagawa governor, will take charge of community revitalization projects involving comedians, said the agency's parent, Yoshimoto Kogyo Co.

A source close to the governor said he may be intending to boost his visibility through his activities at Yoshimoto Creative in preparation for a political comeback.

Matsuzawa canceled his bid to become Tokyo governor after incumbent Shintaro Ishihara announced he would seek a fourth term less than two weeks before official campaigning began in late March. Ishihara easily won the race.

Hailing from the Matsushita School of Government and Management, Matsuzawa served as a member of the Kanagawa Prefecture Assembly and a Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker.