接待疑惑、幹部４人処分へ　「一日も早く調査」―武田総務相

　武田良太総務相は１６日の衆院本会議で、総務省幹部４人が放送関連会社「東北新社」に勤める菅義偉首相の長男らから接待を受けていた疑惑をめぐり、「一日も早く調査を終え、処分を行い、その結果について関係法令に基づき公表する」と述べた。立憲民主党の神谷裕氏への答弁。
　問題となっている幹部４人は、谷脇康彦、吉田真人の両総務審議官と秋本芳徳情報流通行政局長、湯本博信官房審議官。４人は昨年１０月から１２月にかけて、同社幹部や首相の長男とそれぞれ会食し、その費用を負担してもらっていたほか、タクシーチケットなどを受け取っていた。
　東北新社は総務省が許認可権を持つ衛星放送事業などを手掛けており、同社関係者からの接待は国家公務員倫理法に抵触する可能性がある。（2021/02/16-18:03）

Japan's communications minister Ryota Takeda said Tuesday that his ministry will swiftly punish senior officials if they are found to have been entertained by Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga's eldest son and other people in the broadcasting industry.
   The Internal Affairs and Communications Ministry "will complete its investigation into the scandal as soon as possible, punish officials involved and disclose the results of the probe," Takeda said at a plenary session of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the country's parliament.
   The four senior officials in question are Vice Ministers for Policy Coordination Yasuhiko Taniwaki and Mabito Yoshida, Information and Communications Bureau Director-General Yoshinori Akimoto and the same bureau's Deputy Director-General Hironobu Yumoto.
   It has come to light that between October and December last year they were wined and dined by Suga's son, who works for Tohokushinsha Film Corp., and executives of the Tokyo-based company engaged in satellite broadcasting operations and also received taxi tickets and other gifts.
   The officials' acts may amount to a violation of the national civil service ethics law as Tohokushinsha can be regarded as an interested party of the ministry, which holds the broadcasting business permission authority.