「桜を見る会」開催せず　岸田首相、１０万円給付で釈明―衆院予算委

　衆院予算委員会は１４日、岸田文雄首相と全閣僚が出席して２日目の基本的質疑を行った。首相は安倍政権下で問題化した「桜を見る会」について「大いに反省すべき点があり、二度と起こしてはならない。私の内閣で開催することは考えていない」と明言した。立憲民主党の岡田克也元外相への答弁。
　現金一括給付を容認した１８歳以下への１０万円相当の給付に関しては、「工夫すべき点があったことは謙虚に受け止めなければならないが、できるだけ早く効果的に支援を行う観点から全力で取り組んだ結果だ」と理解を求めた。立民の逢坂誠二代表代行への答弁。
　国会議員に歳費とは別に毎月１００万円支給される文書通信交通滞在費（文通費）が在職期間１日でも満額支給されることについては、「国民の感覚からして疑問に思われるのは当然だ」と指摘した。（2021/12/14-12:02）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Tuesday that he will not host an annual cherry blossom-viewing party after it came under fire for a scandal involving former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
   "There is a great deal to be regretted, and we should never cause those issues again," Kishida said at the Budget Committee of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of parliament. "My cabinet has no plan to hold" such a party, he said.
   Abe is under scrutiny over dubious funding for dinner parties held for his supporters in connection with the cherry blossom-viewing event.
   On the government's plan to provide 100,000 yen in benefits to every child aged 18 and younger, Kishida admitted that the rollout of program could have been better handled.
   "We need to humbly acknowledge that there were some points needed to be worked out. But this is the result of our best efforts, from the perspective of providing support as quickly and effectively as possible," he said.