菅首相、自民総裁選出馬の意向　人事刷新、３日に一任目指す

　菅義偉首相（自民党総裁）は２日、党本部で二階俊博幹事長と会談し、１７日告示・２９日投開票の総裁選に出馬する意向を正式に伝えた。週明けに内閣改造・党役員人事に踏み切りたい考えで、３日の総務会で人事の一任取り付けを目指す。ただ、首相を取り巻く状況は厳しく、想定した段取りで進むかは不透明だ。
　首相は二階氏と約１５分間会談。党４役の刷新とそれに伴う小幅の内閣改造を検討していると伝えた。これより先に、公明党の山口那津男代表と昼食を共にしながら約４０分間会談し、衆院選の時期に関し「新型コロナウイルス対応に最優先で取り組みたい」と伝えた。
　自民党は３日、臨時の役員会、役員連絡会、総務会を順に開く。焦点の幹事長には石破茂元幹事長らの起用が取り沙汰されている。ただ、党内では総裁選目前の人事に批判が出ており、一連の会議は紛糾しそうだ。首相の求心力は低下しており、一任を取り付けても人選は難航する可能性がある。（2021/09/02-20:07）

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, also president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, made clear on Thursday that he will run in the upcoming party presidential election, aiming to win a new term.
   Suga had 15-minute talks with Toshihiro Nikai, the LDP's powerful secretary-general, and formally told Nikai of his decision to file his candidacy.
   The party leadership race, which involves voting by lawmakers as well as rank-and-file party members, will take place on Sept. 29, with the campaign period starting on Sept. 17.
   Suga's term as LDP president runs out at the end of September. He took office in September last year after his immediate predecessor, Shinzo Abe, stepped down abruptly due to health reasons.
   To regain his clout within the party, Suga plans to reshuffle his cabinet and the LDP executive team including Nikai early next week and hopes to be given a free hand for the shake-ups at a meeting of the LDP's decision-making General Council on Friday.