武田総務相、「深くおわびしたい」　菅首相長男・省幹部接待疑惑

　武田良太総務相は５日の閣議後記者会見で、総務省幹部４人が衛星放送関連会社に勤める菅義偉首相の長男から接待を受け、タクシーチケットなどを受け取ったとの疑惑に関し、「国民の疑念を招く事態に至ったことについては深くおわびしたい」と陳謝した。その上で、「速やかに事実関係を確定し、しかるべき対応を行いたい」と述べた。
　週刊文春によると、首相の長男は、衛星放送チャンネルを運営する会社の役員で、放送の許認可権を持つ総務省の利害関係者に当たる可能性がある。利害関係者から会食費を負担してもらったり、金品を受け取ったりすることは国家公務員倫理規程で禁じられており、同省は４人から聞き取りを進め、事実関係の確認を急いでいる。（2021/02/05-10:23）

Japan's communications minister Ryota Takeda apologized Friday over a wining-and-dining scandal involving four senior communications ministry officials and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's eldest son.
   "I deeply apologize for this situation, which raises doubts among the people," Takeda told a press conference, referring to allegations that the four officials were wined and dined by Suga's son, who works for a Tokyo-based satellite broadcast-related company, and received taxi tickets from him.
   "We want to take appropriate steps after confirming the facts swiftly," the minister added.
   According to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine, Suga's eldest son is an executive of Tohokushinsha Film Corp. and thus can be regarded as an interested party of the communications ministry, which has authority to give satellite television broadcasting licenses.
   Receiving entertainment, money or goods from an interested party is banned by ethics rules under the national civil service ethics act.