首相、他派閥の対応注視　岸田派解散を明言

　岸田文雄首相（自民党総裁）は１９日、岸田派（宏池会）の元会計責任者が政治資金規正法違反容疑で立件される見通しとなったことを受けて、「政治の信頼回復のために宏池会を解散する」と明言した。その上で「国民から派閥がカネやポストを求める場になっているとの疑念の目が注がれている」と述べ、他派閥の対応を注視する考えを示した。首相官邸で記者団の質問に答えた。
　安倍派幹部らの党としての処分については「捜査結果を見た上で適切なタイミングで対応を考えたい」と説明。派閥の在り方について「疑念を払拭して信頼を回復するために政策集団のルールについて考えなければならない」と語った。
　岸田派を除く他派閥の解散について問われたのに対しては、「申し上げる立場にない」と述べるにとどめた。
　岸田派座長を務める林芳正官房長官は記者会見で、１８日に首相から同派解散の意向を伝えられ、「首相の判断を尊重したい」と応じたと説明。「首相の宏池会への思いの強さを重々承知している。その上での判断ということで、重く受け止めた」と述べた。（2024/01/19-12:12）

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Friday that the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Kochikai faction, previously led by Kishida, will be dissolved with the aim of restoring public trust in politics, which has apparently been undermined by a political funds scandal involving LDP factions.
   The prime minister, also president of the LDP, clarified his intention to disband the Kishida faction after it became likely that a former chief accountant of the faction would face criminal charges over the scandal.
   "The public is suspecting that factions have become a place to ask for money and posts," Kishida told reporters at the prime minister's office, suggesting that he will closely watch how other factions will respond to the situation.
   On the LDP's possible punishment against senior members of intraparty factions, including the party's largest faction formerly led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Kishida said, "We will consider a response at an appropriate time after examining the results of (public prosecutors') investigation (into the scandal)."
   Kishida also said the LDP has to think about the rules concerning intraparty policy groups in order to dispel people's doubts over the roles of LDP factions and regain their trust in the party.