安倍派・塩谷氏が自民離党　裏金事件、党の処分終了

　自民党の塩谷立・元総務会長（衆院比例代表東海ブロック）は２３日、離党届を提出し、受理された。この後、国会内で記者会見し、議員辞職はせず、次期衆院選への出馬を目指す意向を示した。塩谷氏は座長を務めた安倍派の裏金事件に絡み、自民から「離党の勧告」を受けていた。これにより、事件を受けた一連の処分の手続きは終了した。
　塩谷氏は会見で「（処分は）結論ありきで疑問を持たざるを得ない」と党執行部の対応を改めて批判。今後の政治活動に関しては「無所属議員として国民のために努力したい。次の選挙にもしっかり挑戦していく」と語った。（2024/04/23-19:08）

Ryu Shionoya, former chairman of the General Council of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, submitted his resignation from the party on Tuesday, after the party rejected his appeal against its punishment for him over a political funds scandal involving LDP factions.
   With the resignation accepted, the party's process of punishing party lawmakers involved in the scandal was concluded.
   Shionoya told reporters later in the day that he will not resign as a lawmaker and intends to run in the next House of Representatives election.
   Over the scandal, the party's ethics committee decided on April 4 to punish 39 people, including those who belonged to factions once led by the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and headed by former LDP Secretary-General Toshihiro Nikai, respectively.
   Shionoya, former chair of the Abe faction, was given a recommendation to leave the party, the second-heaviest punishment under party rules after expulsion.