安倍首相、健康状態説明へ　ＰＣＲ検査拡充を発表―２８日に記者会見

　安倍晋三首相は２８日午後５時から、首相官邸で記者会見に臨む。自身の健康不安が取り沙汰されていることを踏まえ、現在の体調や今後の対応についてどう説明するかが焦点。新型コロナウイルスの新たな感染拡大が懸念される冬場に備え、ＰＣＲ検査拡充など追加対策も打ち出す方針だ。
　首相が官邸でまとまった時間を取って会見するのは、通常国会閉幕翌日の６月１８日以来となる。政府は会見に先立って、新型コロナ感染症対策本部の会議も約１カ月ぶりに開く。
　首相の健康不安説は、１７日と２４日に２週連続で慶応大病院を訪問したことで急速に広がった。首相はその都度、「体調管理に万全を期すための検査」「追加的な検査」と説明したが、自民党内では、持病の潰瘍性大腸炎が悪化し、何らかの治療を受けたのではないかとの見方も強い。（2020/08/27-18:30）

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is expected to explain his health condition, which has been rumored to be deteriorating and thus has been a focus of attention, as well as the government's additional steps to combat the novel coronavirus at a press conference to be held at the prime minister's office from 5 p.m. Friday (8 a.m. GMT).
   It will be the first time in more than two months for Abe to hold a press conference for a relatively large amount of time at the prime minister's office. He last did so on June 18, the day after this year's regular session of the Diet, Japan's parliament, ended.
   Also on Friday, ahead of Abe's press conference, the government's headquarters for coronavirus response will hold its first meeting in about a month.
   Rumors of the prime minister's ill health exploded after he visited Keio University Hospital in Tokyo on Aug. 17 and Monday. He briefly spoke with reporters after the hospital visits, saying, among other things, that he took the test to make sure his health condition is fine, but some in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party suspect that his chronic disease, ulcerative colitis, may have worsened, and that he underwent medical treatment at the hospital.
   Abe ended his first stint in power in September 2007, when the chronic illness forced him to step down only one year after he assumed the post of prime minister.