菅首相、９月解散に意欲か　「総裁任期の中で考える」

　菅義偉首相は２３日の記者会見で、衆院解散に関し「まず新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大防止が最優先だ。ただ、私の（自民党）総裁任期の中で、機会を見て考えなきゃならない」と述べ、総裁選前の解散・総選挙に意欲を示した。首相の総裁任期は９月末まで。衆院選に勝利して、総裁再選を確実にする狙いがあるとみられる。
　総裁公選規程は、党所属議員の投票日を「総裁の任期満了日前１０日以内」と定める。首相は解散に関し、７月２３日～９月５日の東京五輪・パラリンピック後に軸足を置いているとされ、「９月解散」を探っているとの見方が取り沙汰されている。衆院議員の任期は１０月２１日に満了する。（2021/04/23-22:45）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Friday hinted at a possibility of dissolving the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, for a general election in September.
   "My top priority is to prevent a further spread of the new coronavirus," Suga told a press conference.
   "But I also have to consider (the possibility of dissolving the Lower House) by looking at an opportunity during my term of office" as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, he added. His term of office as LDP chief is set to run until the end of September.
   Suga apparently aims to ensure his reelection as LDP president by leading the party to a victory in the next Lower House general election, sources familiar with the situation said. The term of office for the current Lower House members is set to end on Oct. 21.
   The LDP's rules stipulate that voting by party lawmakers in an LDP leadership election must be held within 10 days before the expiration of the term of office of an incumbent president.