政治改革、党刷新が争点　自民総裁選告示、最多９氏

　岸田文雄首相の後継を決める自民党総裁選が１２日告示され、推薦人が必要となった１９７２年以降で最多の９人が立候補を届け出た。派閥裏金事件による深刻な政治不信を踏まえ、政治改革や党刷新が最大の争点。早期の衆院解散・総選挙が取り沙汰され、来年夏に参院選を控える中、決選投票もにらんだ激しい選挙戦が展開されそうだ。投開票は２７日。
　届け出順は、高市早苗経済安全保障担当相（６３）、小林鷹之前経済安全保障担当相（４９）、林芳正官房長官（６３）、小泉進次郎元環境相（４３）、上川陽子外相（７１）、加藤勝信元官房長官（６８）、河野太郎デジタル相（６１）、石破茂元幹事長（６７）、茂木敏充幹事長（６８）。
　立候補の受け付けは午前１０時から党本部で行われ、各陣営が２０人の推薦人名簿など必要書類を提出した。２０２１年の前回に続き、女性候補は２人。９氏は午後１時から所見発表演説会に臨んだ。（2024/09/12-13:09）

Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party entered the official campaign period for its Sept. 27 leadership election on Thursday, with nine candidates filing their candidacies.
   Political reform and party renewal are the top issues amid serious public distrust following a high-profile "slush fund" scandal involving LDP factions.
   A fierce battle is expected among the leadership candidates as the next House of Representatives election may follow the party poll and the next House of Councillors election is scheduled for next summer.
   The nine candidates are economic security minister Sanae Takaichi, 63, former economic security minister Takayuki Kobayashi, 49, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, 63, former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, 43, Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa, 71, former Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato, 68, digital transformation minister Taro Kono, 61, former LDP Secretary-General Shigeru Ishiba, 67, and current LDP Secretary-General Toshimitsu Motegi, 68.
   The number of candidates is the highest since the LDP began to require nominations for running in leadership elections in 1972.