立民・本多氏が議員辞職へ　性交同意めぐる発言で

　立憲民主党の本多平直衆院議員＝比例北海道ブロック＝は２７日、衆院議員会館で記者会見し、党会合での性交同意年齢に関する不適切発言をめぐって、近く議員辞職する意向を表明した。これに先立ち、本多氏は党に迷惑を掛けたとして離党届を提出。立民は同日の常任幹事会で受理し、党としての処分は見送った。
　本多氏は会見で「聞いた方が不快に思う表現、また被害者を傷つける例示の言い方があったことを心からおわびしたい」と謝罪。「比例代表選出の議員だ。党を離れる以上、筋を通す」と述べ、辞職する考えを示した。次期衆院選への立候補に関しては「先のことは全く考えてない」と述べるにとどめた。
　一方、福山哲郎幹事長は幹事会後の会見で「多くの支持者の期待を裏切ったことは心からおわびしたい」と改めて陳謝した。
　本多氏は５月１０日の党会合で「５０歳近くの自分が１４歳の子と性交したら、たとえ同意があっても捕まることになる。それはおかしい」との趣旨の発言をしたとされ、党内外から批判が相次いだ。（2021/07/27-20:29）

Lawmaker Hiranao Honda on Tuesday submitted his resignation from the major opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan over inappropriate comments he made regarding the age of consent.
   At an executive meeting later in the day, the CDP is expected to accept his departure from the party rather than suspending his party membership for a year as had been considered by its leadership.
   In a party meeting May 10, Honda, a member of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, the country's parliament, elected from the proportional representation bloc of Hokkaido, northernmost Japan, is believed to have said: "If I, being nearly 50 years old, had sex with a 14-year-old, I would be arrested, even if there was consent. It's strange." The comment drew criticism from both in and outside the party.
   Honda withdrew the remark and apologized, and CDP Secretary-General Tetsuro Fukuyama gave him a verbal warning.
   The party leadership began considering a harsher punishment after continued criticisms from groups such as those supporting victims of sexual assault. On July 13, the leadership team proposed to the CDP ethics committee a punishment of a one-year suspension from the party.