石破首相「報道に憤り覚える」　非公認候補側２０００万円支給

　石破茂首相（自民党総裁）は２４日、広島市で街頭演説し、派閥裏金事件を受けて衆院選で非公認となった候補側に自民党本部が２０００万円の活動費を支出したことについて、「政党支部に出しているのであって、非公認候補に出しているのではない。報道に誠に憤りを覚える」と述べた。「報道、偏った見方に負けるわけにはいかない」とも語った。
　首相が活動費の支出に言及したのは初めて。首相は「この厳しい（情勢の）中、自民党の公約、政策を分かってもらいたいとの思いで支部に（活動費を）出している。選挙に使うことも全くない」と説明した。
　政党支部はかねて政治家の「財布」とも指摘されており、野党などからは「偽装非公認」との批判が強まっている。（2024/10/24-12:25）

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday lashed out at media reports about his ruling Liberal Democratic Party's distribution of funds to party branches led by members who are running in Sunday's general election without the party's official endorsement due to their involvement in the party's "slush fund" scandal.
   "I really feel resentment," Ishiba said during a campaign speech in the western city of Hiroshima. "The funds were given to party branches, not to the unendorsed candidates."
   The LDP headquarters has reportedly given 20 million yen, including in the name of activity expenses, each to party branches headed by eight scandal-tainted candidates.
   Following the reports, opposition parties are stepping up their criticism of the LDP's money scandal, arguing that its decision not to endorse the scandal-tainted candidates lacks substance.
   "We cannot succumb to biased media reports and views," the prime minister stressed, adding that the funds in question are not being used for the upcoming House of Representatives election, but for activities to inform the public about the LDP's policies at a time when the party is facing strong headwinds.