自民「刷新本部」、１１日に初会合　小泉氏ら登用、厳罰化焦点

　自民党は１０日の臨時総務会で、派閥の政治資金パーティー収入を巡る裏金事件を受け、政治改革や再発防止の具体策を検討する「政治刷新本部」の設置を決めた。幹事には小泉進次郎元環境相、三原じゅん子参院議員ら無派閥の中堅・若手も登用。月内の中間取りまとめを目指し、１１日に初会合を開く。政治資金規正法の厳罰化など踏み込んだ対応を打ち出せるかが焦点だ。
　本部長に就いた岸田文雄首相（党総裁）は総務会で「何としても回復しなければならないのは国民の政治に対する信頼だ」と指摘。２０２１年の総裁選で掲げた「党のガバナンス改革」に「最大・最優先の課題として取り組みたい」と語った。
　首相は刷新本部の最高顧問に麻生太郎副総裁と菅義偉前首相を起用。本部長代行に茂木敏充幹事長を充て、本部長代理に党四役クラスを並べた。党内６派閥の現職会長が３人含まれ、有力議員ほぼ勢ぞろいの布陣だ。幹事長は首相側近の木原誠二幹事長代理が務める。（2024/01/10-20:27）

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party will hold the first meeting of a political reform task force on Thursday, in the wake of a high-profile political funds scandal involving LDP factions.
   The task force will aim to compile an interim report this month. Close attention will be paid to whether it can set out drastic measures, such as toughening penalties under the political funds control law.
   "People's trust in politics must be restored by all means," Prime Minister and LDP President Fumio Kishida, who heads the task force, said at a meeting of the LDP's General Council on Wednesday. Kishida said that he will give top priority to reforming party governance.
   Two LDP factions, including the largest one formerly led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, are suspected of failing to report some fundraising party revenues. The Abe faction allegedly used the unreported money as slush funds.
   Kishida appointed many LDP bigwigs to senior roles in the 38-member task force, such as former prime ministers Taro Aso and Yoshihide Suga as top advisers and Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi as executive acting chief.