自民・西田氏、首相の退陣要求　「参院選を全く戦えない」

　自民党の西田昌司参院議員は１２日、国会内で開かれた党参院議員総会で、２０２５年度予算案の成立後に党総裁選を行い、石破茂首相に代わる新総裁を選出すべきだと主張した。「予算成立が第一だが、今のままの体制では（参院選を）全く戦えない。もう一度総裁選をやって新たなリーダーを選び直さないといけない」と語った。
　議員総会後、西田氏は記者団に対し、石破首相のまま夏の参院選を迎えることは「無理だ」と言明。「（昨年の）衆院選で負け、国民の審判が出ている。参院選の看板になるのはあり得ない」として首相の退陣を要求した。（2025/03/12-11:59）

Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Shoji Nishida said Wednesday that the Japanese ruling party needs a new leader to replace Shigeru Ishiba, the country's prime minister and current LDP president.
   At a meeting of House of Councillors lawmakers from the party, Nishida said that a vote to choose a new party head should be held after the government's fiscal 2025 draft budget is enacted.
   "While enacting the budget is our top priority, we can't go into the (upcoming Upper House) election" with the current leader, Nishida said.
   It would be difficult for the LDP to fight the election if Ishiba remains in office, Nishida, an Upper House member, told the press after the meeting.
   Ishiba "can't be the face of the LDP in the Upper House election," after the party suffered a humiliating defeat in last year's election for the House of Representatives, the lower parliamentary chamber, Nishida said.