河井克行被告が辞意　元法相、参院選買収事件で公判中

　２０１９年参院選をめぐる買収事件で公職選挙法違反の罪に問われ、公判中の元法相河井克行被告（５８）＝自民党離党＝が、衆院議員の辞意を漏らしていることが１８日分かった。同党関係者が明らかにした。
　近く辞職しても、克行被告の地盤だった衆院広島３区では、公職選挙法の規定で４月２５日投開票の衆院北海道２区補選などに合わせた補選は行われない。後継議員は今秋までに行われる衆院選で選ばれる見通しだ。（2021/03/19-00:24）

Former Japanese Justice Minister Katsuyuki Kawai, who is on trial for charges of campaign violations, has expressed an intention to resign from the House of Representatives, ruling party sources said Thursday.
   The 58-year-old former member of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has been elected from the No. 3 Lower House constituency in the western prefecture of Hiroshima. His successor is expected to be selected by autumn this year.
   Kawai has been charged with handing out a total of 29 million yen to 100 people between March and August 2019 to ask for help in rounding up votes for his wife's campaign in a House of Councillors election.
   He was released on bail on March 3. The election of her wife, Anri, was invalidated last month when she was convicted for her role in the vote-buying scandal.