石井公明代表、辞任表明　衆院選で落選、９日に後任選出

　公明党の石井啓一代表は３１日の党中央幹事会で、衆院選での自身の落選と党敗北の責任を取り、代表を辞任すると表明した。これを受け、同党は後任を１１月７日の中央幹事会で内定し、９日の臨時党大会で選出することを決めた。
　石井氏は「わが党にとって非常に厳しい選挙結果となった。全て私の責任だ」と強調。「代表は国会議員が務めるべきだ」と辞任の理由を説明した。
　石井氏によると、西田実仁幹事長もこれに先立つ常任役員会で引責辞任の意向を示したが、石井氏の慰留を受け、続投が決まったという。
　石井氏は９月２８日に代表に就任したばかり。埼玉１４区から立候補したが落選。在任期間は１カ月余りとなり、１９９８年の党再結成以降、最短となる。（2024/10/31-11:34）

Keiichi Ishii, leader of Komeito, the junior coalition partner of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said Thursday that he will resign to take responsibility for his party's loss of seats, including his own, in Sunday's election for the House of Representatives, the lower chamber of Japan's parliament.
   Komeito decided to unofficially appoint his successor at an executive meeting Nov. 7 and elect the successor at an extraordinary party convention Nov. 9.
   "It was a very tough election result for our party. It is all my responsibility," Ishii said at a party executive meeting Thursday, explaining that he will resign as he believes a parliamentary member should head Komeito.
   According to Ishii, Makoto Nishida, secretary-general of Komeito, also tendered his resignation, but decided to remain in office at the request of the outgoing leader.
   Ishii became the party's leader only on Sept. 28. He lost in the No. 14 district of Saitama Prefecture, north of Tokyo, in Sunday's Lower House election. He will have been in office as Komeito leader for just over a month, the shortest tenure since the party was re-established in 1998.