「桜を見る会」来年以降も中止　コロナ対策優先、予算要求せず―菅首相

　菅義偉首相は１６日の記者会見で、今春の開催が見送られた首相主催「桜を見る会」に関し、「私が首相に就任したのを機に来年以降、今後は中止したい」と明言した。菅首相は「安倍政権が長くなる中で招待客が多くなり、会の在り方についてもいろいろな批判がある」と指摘した。
　桜を見る会をめぐっては昨年、安倍晋三前首相の後援会関係者が多数招かれていたことが「税金の私物化」と批判された。これを踏まえ官房長官だった菅氏が今春の開催中止を発表。２０２１年度予算案の概算要求までに開催方法などを見直す方針を示していた。
　菅首相は会見で、来年以降も中止する理由について「今はコロナ対策に集中したいという強い思いの中で、予算要求しないことを決めた」と説明した。一方、森友学園への国有地売却をめぐる公文書改ざん問題に関しては「既に財務省で調査、処分を行っている。検察の捜査も行われて結論も出ている話だ」と述べ、再調査に否定的な立場を重ねて示した。（2020/09/16-22:59）

New Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Wednesday that he will not hold a state-funded cherry blossom-viewing party next year and later following the cancellation of the event this spring.
   "As I took office as prime minister, I'd like to cancel the event next year and later," Suga told his inaugural press conference.
   He noted that the cherry blossom party has drawn criticism as the number of guests grew during the long reign of his predecessor, Shinzo Abe, who was prime minister for nearly eight years until his official resignation on Wednesday.
   Last year, Abe came under fire for inviting many of his supporters to the state-funded spring event. In response, Suga, as chief cabinet secretary of the Abe administration, announced the cancellation of this year's party.
   At the press conference, Suga said that he decided to no longer seek funds for the event under the government's budgets as his administration needs to put efforts into bringing the novel coronavirus epidemic under control.