橋本氏、自民離党せず　「疑念持たれないよう行動」

　東京五輪・パラリンピック組織委員会の橋本聖子新会長は１９日、所属する自民党を離党する考えはないことを明らかにした。党本部で記者団に語った。橋本氏は「疑念が持たれないように、スポーツと政治という国際オリンピック委員会（ＩＯＣ）憲章にのっとってしっかりと行動する」と述べた。
　橋本氏をめぐっては、組織委会長としての政治的中立性の観点から、参院議員の辞職や自民党の離党が必要との声が出ている。橋本氏は既に議員辞職しない考えを示している。（2021/02/19-12:00）

Seiko Hashimoto offered on Friday to leave Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, after she was chosen as new president of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee the previous day.
   Hashimoto, 56, informed LDP executives of her planned move, reversing a statement to reporters earlier on Friday that she would not secede from the party. She is expected to submit a letter of resignation later in the day.
   "In order not to give rise to suspicions, I will behave in full compliance with the charter of the International Olympic Committee," Hashimoto told reporters.
   Hashimoto was facing calls to resign as a House of Councillors lawmaker and to quit the LDP, in order to ensure her political neutrality as the organizing committee's president.
   She has indicated her intention not to relinquish her Upper House seat.