石井氏、公明代表就任へ　幹事長は西田氏で調整

　公明党の石井啓一幹事長（６６）は１８日告示の代表選に立候補する意向を固めた。代表は石井氏に決まる見通し。山口那津男代表（７２）は退任し、公明代表は１５年ぶりに交代する。公明は石井氏の後任に西田実仁選対委員長（６２）を充てる方向で調整。次代を担う中堅クラスの党幹部起用も検討している。
　複数の党関係者が９日までに明らかにした。山口氏は１０日に記者会見し、代表選不出馬を表明する見込み。これを受け、石井氏は早ければ１３日の会見で立候補を表明する。石井氏以外に立候補の動きはなく、石井氏は代表選告示日に代表就任が確定し、２８日の党大会で正式に選出される。（2024/09/09-05:24）

Keiichi Ishii, secretary-general of Komeito, the coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, plans to run in the party's upcoming leadership election, Komeito officials have said.
   As incumbent Komeito leader Natsuo Yamaguchi, 72, is expected not to seek re-election and there is no other party lawmaker preparing to run in the election, Ishii, 66, is likely to be confirmed as the new leader of the junior ruling party on Sept. 18, the day when the official campaign period for the leadership election starts, according to the officials.
   In what would be the first change in party leadership since 2009, Ishii is expected to be formally elected Komeito chief at a party convention on Sept. 28.
   Komeito plans to name party election chief Makoto Nishida, 62, as new secretary-general and appoint some mid-ranking party members to senior party posts, the officials said.
   Yamaguchi is expected to announce his decision not to seek re-election at a press conference on Tuesday, while Ishii is likely to declare his candidacy in the party leadership race as early as Friday.