石破氏、派閥会長を辞任　自民総裁選惨敗で引責

　自民党石破派会長の石破茂元幹事長（６３）は２２日、同派の臨時総会で、９月の党総裁選に敗れた責任を取って会長を辞任する意向を表明した。「多くの方々の期待に応えられなかった。その責任を取ることが私の取るべき道だ」と説明。引き続き同派にとどまり、次期衆院選へ向けて所属議員の支援に努める考えも伝えた。
　臨時総会では石破氏を慰留する声も上がったが、事務総長の鴨下一郎元環境相が中心となって後任を選出することで一致。新会長には鴨下氏を推す声が出ている。
　総会後、石破氏は記者団に、今後の活動に関して「水月会（石破派）の一人ひとりが議席を維持するためにできる限りのことを今以上にやりたい」と強調。菅政権に対しては「国や次の時代のために良い仕事ができるよう、私としても力を尽くしたい」と述べ、支えていく意向を示した。
　石破氏は２０１２年の第２次安倍内閣発足後、幹事長と地方創生担当相を歴任し、１５年９月に石破派を旗揚げ。現在の同派所属議員は１９人で、党内第６派閥だ。石破氏は要職を外れた後は安倍晋三前首相への批判を強めたが、党内の支持は広がらなかった。
　先の総裁選は、国会議員票２６、地方票４２の計６８票にとどまり、計３７７票の菅義偉首相だけでなく、計８９票の岸田文雄前政調会長にも後れを取った。派内の一部からは政権批判路線に対する疑問が上がっていた。（2020/10/22-17:25）

Liberal Democratic Party heavyweight Shigeru Ishiba said Thursday that he will resign as head of his faction in the Japanese ruling party to take responsibility for his defeat in last month's LDP leadership election.
   The 63-year-old former LDP secretary-general unveiled the decision at an extraordinary meeting of the faction, called Suigetsukai. "I couldn't live up to expectations from a lot of people, so taking responsibility for this is the step I should take," he said.
   At the same time, Ishiba said that he will remain with the faction and continue supporting its member lawmakers in the next election for the House of Representatives, the all-important lower chamber of the Diet, Japan's parliament.
   At the meeting, some asked Ishiba to stay on as Suigetsukai leader. But member lawmakers eventually agreed that his successor will be selected through procedures led by former Environment Minister Ichiro Kamoshita, who serves as secretary-general of Suigetsukai.
   "I'm determined to do everything I can more than ever to help all Suigetsukai members maintain their seats on the Diet," Ishiba told reporters after the meeting. Ishiba also voiced his support for Prime Minister and LDP President Yoshihide Suga, who succeeded Shinzo Abe last month, saying, "I'll make my contributions so that (the Suga administration) can do a good job for the nation and the next generation."