菅首相、二階幹事長交代で調整　衆院選へ自民刷新アピール

　菅義偉首相（自民党総裁）は党刷新をアピールするため、衆院選前に二階俊博幹事長の交代を柱とする党役員人事を行う方向で調整に入った。二階氏と３０日に首相官邸で会談し、意向を伝えた。時期は流動的だが、再選を目指す党総裁選での支持獲得につなげるため、９月１７日の告示前に断行する案も出ている。
　二階氏は首相との会談で、「結構だ」と伝達した。ただ、二階派が反発すれば、首相の再選戦略が揺らぐ可能性もある。（2021/08/31-00:15）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is preparing to replace the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's powerful No. 2 leader, Toshihiro Nikai, ahead of this autumn's House of Representatives election, sources said Monday.
   Suga met with LDP Secretary-General Nikai at the prime minister's office the same day to convey his plan to replace party executives including Nikai, the sources added.
   The embattled prime minister may carry out the shake-up before the Sept. 17 candidacy filings for the party's Sept. 29 presidential election to drum up support for his re-election bid, according to the sources.
   At Monday's meeting, Nikai said he accepts Suga's plan to reshuffle the LDP leadership team. But members of Nikai's faction may oppose his replacement, possibly dealing a blow to Suga's bid.
   Nikai paved the way for Suga's victory in the previous LDP presidential election in September last year. He announced his support for Suga ahead of other party bigwigs, who quickly followed Nikai to back Suga.