次期会長に鳥取・平井氏　最多の４０人推薦、無投票で―全国知事会

　全国知事会は１６日、飯泉嘉門会長（徳島県知事）の任期満了に伴う会長選挙で、推薦候補の受け付けを締め切った。届け出があったのは鳥取県の平井伸治知事（５９）のみで、無投票で平井氏の次期会長就任が決まった。推薦者は過去最多の４０人。３０日の全国知事会議で正式に選任される。任期は９月３日から２年。
　会長選は２００３年に導入。候補者になるには知事５人以上の推薦が必要で、推薦者の代表が届け出る。今回は広島県の湯崎英彦知事が代表を務めた。（2021/08/16-16:55）

Tottori Governor Shinji Hirai is set to become the next president of the National Governors' Association of Japan without contest, after the deadline for prefectural governors to submit nominations passed on Monday.
   Hirai, 59, was the only candidate to be nominated for the post. He will be formally elected as association head at a meeting of the association on Aug. 30. His two-year term will start on Sept. 3, following the end of the term of the incumbent, Tokushima Governor Kamon Iizumi.
   Hirai was nominated by 40 prefectural governors, the most ever for a candidate for the post. Under the association's current leadership election system, introduced in 2003, a candidate needs at least five nominations.
   At a press conference in the western Japan city of Tottori, Hirai said that he "feels tense" and that his election without contest reflects the intent of governors to join forces and overcome the coronavirus crisis.
   "I will strive first and foremost to weather the difficult situation," he said.