自民、料亭「復活」へ議連発足　二階氏ら各派領袖が旗振り

　自民党の有志議員は１７日、日本料理や三味線などを楽しめる料亭の良さをアピールするため、「料亭文化振興議連」を発足させた。かつての「料亭政治」は廃れ気味だが、来日外国人の増加などをにらみ、料亭の魅力を広く観光客らに発信したい考えだ。発起人には二階俊博幹事長や岸田文雄政調会長、石破茂元幹事長らが名前を連ねた。
　初会合で、議連会長の衛藤征士郎元衆院副議長は「来日する多くの外国人に日本最高のおもてなしである料亭文化に触れてもらいたい」と強調した。議連には約３０人の衆参国会議員が参加し、来年１月には料亭で会合を開くことも計画している。（2019/12/17-17:46）

Members of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party have launched a league of lawmakers for revitalizing "ryotei" traditional high-end Japanese restaurants.
   In view of an increase in the number of foreign visitors to Japan, the league for promoting ryotei culture, which kicked off on Tuesday, hopes to make the attraction of ryotei, where visitors enjoy traditional Japanese cuisine and performances of "shamisen" three-stringed musical instrument, more widely known by tourists.
   The founding members of the league include LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, LDP Policy Research Council Chairman Fumio Kishida and former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba.
   At its first meeting, Seishiro Eto, the league's head and a former vice speaker of the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament, stressed, "I hope many foreign visitors to Japan will experience ryotei culture, which represents Japan's best form of 'omotenashi' hospitality."
   The league, participated by some 30 lawmakers of both chambers of parliament, plans to hold a meeting at a ryotei restaurant in January.