岸田首相、連合新年会に出席　参院選へ野党揺さぶり

　岸田文雄首相は５日、東京都内で開かれた連合の新年交歓会に出席した。自民党出身の首相では２０１３年の安倍晋三氏以来９年ぶり。夏の参院選をにらみ、立憲民主党などと支持団体の連合の間にくさびを打ち込み揺さぶる狙いが透ける。
　首相はあいさつで「生活、事業、雇用を守り抜くため経済対策をしっかり実施したい」と強調。今春闘での「思い切った賃上げの実現」に期待を表明した上で、「参院選は重要な選挙だ。政治の安定の観点から与党にもご理解とご協力を賜りたい」と、「支援」を要請した。（2022/01/05-19:45）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida attended a New Year's party held by the Japanese Trade Union Confederation, or Rengo, in Tokyo on Wednesday, unnerving Rengo-linked opposition lawmakers.
   Kishida is the first sitting prime minister of the Liberal Democratic Party who attended a New Year's party of the labor union national center since 2013, when then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe showed up.
   Kishida's move appears to be part of the LDP's efforts to drive a wedge between Rengo and parties it supports, namely the main opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan and the Democratic Party for the People, ahead of this summer's election for the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of parliament.
   "We'll thoroughly implement economic measures to protect people's lives, businesses and jobs," Kishida said in a speech at the party while expressing hopes for drastic pay hikes in this year's "shunto" spring wage negotiations.
   "The Upper House election is an important election. We want you to also support the ruling camp to help ensure political stability," he said, asking for Rengo's help.