石破首相、参院選へ準備急ぐ　総裁選の党員票比重見直し―自民

　自民党は８日、全国幹事長会議を党本部で開いた。石破茂首相（党総裁）は先の衆院選大敗での自身の責任を認めた上で、来年夏の参院選について「そんなに時間があるわけでもない」と強調。態勢立て直しに向け、選挙準備を急ぐ考えを示した。森山裕幹事長は総裁選の決選投票での党員票の比重を見直す意向を明らかにした。
　首相は衆院選について「政治とカネの問題、党の体制も含めて、全ては総裁たる私に帰せられるべきものだ」と明言。「地方組織あっての自民党だという真摯（しんし）な思いを忘れてしまったのかもしれない」と反省の弁を述べた。
　続いて森山氏は「世界各国で政治情勢が不安定となる中、わが党が一致結束をし、何としても勝ち抜き、安定した政治の下で国民を守り抜いていかなければならない」と表明。「衆院は常在戦場」とも語った。
　会議では１６府県連が発言。総裁選の決選投票に関し、党員票が都道府県各１票の４７票に圧縮されることに対して見直しを求める意見があった。森山氏は会議後、記者団に対し、党員票の比重を増やす方向で首相と協議していると明かした。執行部は来年３月の党大会に向けて検討する方針だ。
　地方からは、参院選に向けた明確な政策立案と情報発信、選挙でのＳＮＳの効果的な利用を求める声も出た。（2024/12/08-18:12）

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, at a meeting of his Liberal Democratic Party Sunday, apologized for the LDP's crushing defeat in October's House of Representatives election and expressed his determination to rebuild the ruling party's posture in the run-up to next summer's House of Councillors election.
   "Everything, including the problems of politics and money and the party system, should be attributed to me as president" of the LDP, Ishiba said at the meeting of secretaries-general of the party's regional chapters, held at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, apologizing for the election defeat that mainly stemmed from public distrust in politics over a slush funds scandal involving the LDP.
   "I may have forgotten my sincere understanding that the LDP owes what it is to its regional bodies," Ishiba also said.
   Earlier in the day, the LDP held a meeting at the party headquarters for about 100 former lawmakers who failed in the House of Representatives election. Many participants criticized and expressed dissatisfaction with the party executive team's responses, such as the provision of 20 million yen each to the local branches of party members banned from running as LDP candidates in the election for their involvement in the slush funds scandal. The 20-million-yen issue came to light late in the campaign period and is said to have fueled the public's anger further.
   At the beginning of the meeting, Ishiba apologized to the former lawmakers over the election result, saying: "It was a very severe judgment. It's my responsibility."