社説：武藤議員離党 公認した自民の責任は

August 21, 2015 (Mainichi Japan)
Editorial: LDP's responsibility for money scandal involving legislator questioned
社説：武藤議員離党　公認した自民の責任は

House of Representatives member Takaya Muto has left the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) over a money scandal. The scandal has raised questions as for what purposes he became a legislator.
　一体、何のために国会議員になったのか。無論、未公開株購入をめぐる金銭トラブルが発覚したのを受けて自民党を離党した武藤貴也衆院議員（３６）＝滋賀４区＝のことだ。
      
It is still fresh in people's memory that Muto, 36, came under fire for criticizing a group of students and other youths as "selfish" after they urged the public to participate in demonstrations against security bills. He just cannot draw a curtain on his own problem simply by leaving the LDP. The party's responsibility for endorsing him in elections is also serious.
　武藤氏が安全保障関連法案に反対するデモを呼び掛ける学生らのグループについて「『だって戦争に行きたくないじゃん』という極端な利己的考え」などとツイッターに記し、批判を浴びたのは記憶に新しい。離党すれば済む話ではない。自民党の責任も重大である。

According to the Shukan Bunshun weekly magazine, Muto recommended last year that acquaintances and others buy pre-listed shares of a software company, telling them that they could buy shares specially set aside for Diet members. He then collected approximately 40 million yen from 23 people as funds to buy shares. However, shares of the company were never purchased for these people, and some investors have not got back the money they paid. Some have pointed to the possibility that Muto communicated with others over share transactions, using a communication application, while he was attending a session of the lower chamber's Committee on Foreign Affairs.
　「週刊文春」によると武藤氏は昨年、ソフトウエア会社の未公開株購入を「国会議員枠で買える」と知人らに勧め、２３人から計約４０００万円を集めた。だが株は実際には購入されず、出資金の一部が戻っていないという。武藤氏が衆院外務委員会に出席している最中に通信アプリで関係者と株購入をめぐるやり取りをしていた可能性も指摘されている。

It is necessary to conduct a further probe to get to the bottom of the scandal because those involved have made conflicting statements.
　関係者の言い分は異なっており、さらなる事実解明が必要だ。

The latest scandal involving pre-listed shares apparently has reminded numerous members of the general public of the Recruit stock-for-favors scandal that came to light in 1988 and rocked the political world. In the Recruit case, pre-listed shares of a company, whose prices were certain to rise significantly after the stock was listed, were donated to prominent figures in the political and business worlds as well as bureaucrats, and a few of those involved were convicted of giving and accepting bribes.
ただし「未公開株」といえば、１９８８年に明るみに出て政界を揺るがせたリクルート事件を多くの人が思い起こすだろう。値上がり確実なリ社の関連会社の未公開株が政官財の有力者に譲渡され、一部は贈収賄の罪で起訴され有罪が確定した事件だ。

In the latest case, it remains unclear whether some shares of the software company were actually set aside for legislators. Still, it is common sense for politicians not to be involved in transactions in pre-listed shares. It is only natural that some legislators from opposition parties are demanding that Muto step down as a lawmaker.
　今回、本当に「議員枠」があったのかどうかも定かでない。しかし、未公開株と聞いただけで近づかないようにするのが政治家としての正常な感覚ではないのか。野党から議員辞職を求める声が出るのも当然だ。

In 2007, Muto reportedly joined the policy staff for an alliance of political parties within the Shiga Prefectural Assembly and individual assembly members that backed then Shiga Gov. Yukiko Kada, who was calling for suspension of dam construction projects. However, Muto did an about-face, and applied to run for the lower house on the ticket of the LDP that was critical of Gov. Kada after the party publicly sought candidates. He is currently in his second term as a member of the lower chamber. One cannot help but wonder how the LDP has evaluated and officially endorsed Muto, who appears to lack qualifications as a representative of the people, judging from his policies.
　武藤氏は当選前の２００７年、ダム事業凍結を唱える当時の嘉田由紀子滋賀県知事を支える県議会会派の政策スタッフに入ったという。その後、一転して嘉田氏に批判的だった自民党の候補者公募に応募して同党の公認となり、現在当選２回目となる。その主張をはじめ国民の代表としての資質に欠けると思われる武藤氏を自民党はどう評価して公認してきたのだろうか。

Muto was also present at a study session in June among junior LDP legislators supporting Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, in which some attendees called for pressure on the news media. Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso, leader of an LDP intraparty faction of which Muto was a member, has been quoted as warning Muto to "express your personal views after the security bills are passed into law" over Muto's criticism of the youth group opposing the proposed legislation. This suggests that Aso viewed the timing of Muto's remarks, and not their content, as a problem.
　武藤氏は最近では報道機関への圧力発言が飛び出した自民党内の安倍晋三首相を支持する若手勉強会にも出席していた。一方、武藤氏が所属していた自民党麻生派の麻生太郎会長は先のツイッターでの発言直後、「自分の気持ちが言いたいなら安保関連法案が通ってからにしてくれ」と注意したというが、発言の内容ではなく時期が問題だという口ぶりだった。

The LDP's responsibility for the money scandal and other scandals involving Muto is grave and the party's half-baked response is also inappropriate. Nevertheless, LDP Secretary-General Sadakazu Tanigaki and other top-ranking members of the governing party failed to question Muto in person over the details of the latest case. After Muto notified the party leadership that he would leave the party, Tanigaki said, "The legislator needs to fulfill his accountability," as if to regard the money scandal as someone else's problem, and not a problem involving the party.
　こうした中途半端な対応をしてきた点も含めて自民党の責任は重い。ところが谷垣禎一幹事長らは本人から詳細に話を聴くこともせず、離党届の提出後は「本人がきちんと説明責任を果たす必要がある」と、まるでひとごとのような口ぶりだ。

The LDP also has accountability for the money scandal.
　説明責任は自民党にもある。

毎日新聞　2015年08月21日　東京朝刊