改憲「国民の期待に応え議論を」＝増税リスクに万全対応－安倍首相記者会見

　【ニューヨーク時事】安倍晋三首相は２５日午後（日本時間２６日午前）、ニューヨークで内外記者会見に臨んだ。自ら憲法改正を訴えて与党が勝利した７月の参院選に触れ、「憲法改正の議論は行うべきだというのが国民の声だ」と指摘した上で「野党各党もそれぞれの案を持ち寄り、憲法審査会の場で与野党の枠を超えて国民の期待に応える議論を行ってほしい」と述べ、１０月４日召集の臨時国会での議論の進展に期待を示した。
　１０月１日の消費税率引き上げに関しては「リスクが顕在化すれば、ちゅうちょすることなく、機動的かつ万全な対応を行う」として、経済情勢を見定めながら対策を行う可能性に言及した。（2019/09/26-09:06）

Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Wednesday expressed hopes for active discussions on constitutional amendments to be held at an extraordinary session of the Diet, the country's parliamentary, set to open on Oct. 4.
   "Japanese people think that debates on constitutional revisions should be held," Abe said at a press conference in New York, referring to the ruling bloc's victory in the July election of the House of Councillors, the upper chamber of the Diet, in which Abe, also head of the Liberal Democratic Party, the nucleus of the coalition, called for revising the supreme law of Japan.
   "I want both ruling and opposition parties to put forward their own drafts and hold discussions to meet the people's expectations at the constitutional panels (of both chambers of the Diet)," Abe said.
   On the consumption tax hike from 8 pct to 10 pct at the beginning of October, Abe stressed, "If risks become evident, we'll take all possible measures (to underpin the economy) flexibly without hesitation."
   He ruled out the possibility of dissolving the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, for a snap general election. Such an option is "neither in the corner nor at the center of my mind," Abe said, adding, "I want to fulfill my responsibility to the public by devoting myself to producing results on challenges both at home and abroad one by one."