石破派、慎重論強まる　自民総裁選、近く再協議

　自民党石破派は７日午前、石破茂元幹事長（６４）が出席して衆院議員会館で会合を開き、総裁選（１７日告示、２９日投開票）への対応について協議した。石破氏出馬をめぐっては、今回は見送って河野太郎規制改革担当相（５８）の支援に回るべきだとの声が強まってきた。ただ、結論は出ず、近く改めて話し合うことになった。
　会合は約１時間行われ、所属議員１７人のうち休会中の山本有二元農林水産相、河野氏支援を明言した平将明衆院議員を除く１５人が出席。石破氏の出馬を促す声も出た。石破氏自身は「国家・国民のために何をすべきか、さらに意見を聴いて決断したい」と述べた。
　立候補には推薦人２０人が必要。過去の総裁選で石破氏を支えた無派閥の渡海紀三朗元文部科学相ら派外のベテラン勢にも、今回は自重すべきだとする慎重論が強い。（2021/09/07-13:12）

Members of the Liberal Democratic Party faction led by former Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 64, are becoming increasingly cautious about his candidacy in the Japanese ruling party's leadership race.
   They are seeking to support regulatory reform minister Taro Kono, 58, in the Sept. 29 election to choose the successor to outgoing LDP President and Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga.
   On Tuesday, 15 of the faction's 17 members met to discuss their approach to the election. One of the two members who were absent was Masaaki Taira, who has vowed to support Kono.
   Some members of the faction called on Ishiba to run. Ishiba said, "I'll make a decision on what to do for the country and people after hearing more opinions." The participants did not reach an agreement and decided to meet again soon.
   To file candidacy in the LDP election, support from at least 20 party lawmakers is needed. The campaign for the election is set to start on Sept. 17.