据内阁府消息人士透露，日本总务省计划允许地方政府副职领导人根据医生诊断，决定因病或其他原因丧失能力的都道府县知事或市町村长辞职。总务省计划近期向各地方政府通报该政策。
The internal affairs ministry plans to allow deputy leaders of local governments to determine, based on doctors’ diagnoses, the resignation of prefectural governors or municipal mayors who have become incapacitated due to illness or other reasons, according to ministry sources. The ministry plans to notify local governments of the policy soon.
此举源于秋田县八郎潟町议会被迫通过对丧失意识的町长的不信任动议，以使其能够辞职。
The move comes after the town assembly of Hachirogata in Akita Prefecture was forced to pass a no-confidence motion against its mayor, who had become unconscious, to enable his resignation.
《地方自治法》中没有规定，当都道府县知事或市町村长因无法表达意愿而无法履职时，除通过议会不信任动议和居民罢免请愿外，没有其他辞职途径。
There is no provision in the local autonomy law allowing heads of prefectural and municipal governments who have become unable to communicate their intentions to step down from office, except through the passage of a no-confidence motion by the assembly and a recall petition by residents.
今年5月，八郎潟町议会对任内陷入昏迷的时任町长畠山菊男通过了不信任动议。该动议称这是艰难但必要的选择。
The Hachirogata town assembly passed the no-confidence motion against then Mayor Kikuo Hatakeyama, who had become unconscious while in office, in May this year. The motion said the decision was a tough but necessary choice.
随后，该町请求总务省设立新条款，允许根据家属请求或医生诊断让地方首长辞职。全国知事会也提出了类似请求。对此，总务省研究了应对措施，包括咨询学者等专家。
The town later asked the ministry to establish a new provision allowing local heads’ resignation based on requests from family members or diagnoses by doctors. The National Governors’ Association made a similar request. In response, the ministry considered ways to address the issue, including consulting academics and other experts.
在拟发给各地方政府的通知中，总务省预计将规定：如果副职领导人根据独立医生的诊断，认定首长因病或受伤不太可能恢复意识，并将决定报告地方议会，则允许首长辞职。
In the planned notice to local governments, the ministry is expected to say that a leader’s resignation would be allowed if a deputy makes a decision based on a diagnosis by an independent doctor indicating that the chief is unlikely to regain consciousness due to an illness or injury, and report the decision to the local assembly.
总务大臣藤井比早之预计将在本周内说明总务省对《地方自治法》的解释。
Internal affairs minister Hisayuki Fujii is expected to explain the ministry’s interpretation of the local autonomy law within this week.