Doha trade talks collapse
By Alan Beattie and Frances Williams in Geneva
Published: July 29 2008 17:33 | Last updated: July 29 2008 23:07
The Doha round of global trade talks, now in its seventh year, broke up without agreement on Tuesday after nine days of tense negotiations.
Sharp divisions between the US, India and China about access to agricultural markets in the developing world could not be bridged and the talks came to a grinding halt, scuppering efforts by Pascal Lamy, director-general of the World Trade Organisation, to broker a compromise.
The failure marks the third summer in a row that ministers have left a high-profile summit empty-handed. Several ministers and officials admitted that any substantive progress would now have to wait until a new US president was in the White House.
The breakdown followed several marathon negotiating sessions among ministers from the world’s leading economies, with the talks running on long after their original schedule.
Tempers occasionally flared, with the US and China accusing each other of not making enough concessions. But in the immediate aftermath, there was relatively little trading of blame.
Susan Schwab, US trade representative, said the US remained committed to the Doha round. “This is not a time to talk about collapse,” she said. “The US commitments remain on the table.”
Peter Mandelson, European Union trade commissioner, said: ”I realise that you will ask who is to blame for this failure. The answer of course is that it is a collective failure.”
But Mr Mandelson said that the agriculture talks had been harmed by the five-year programme of agricultural subsidies recently passed by the US Congress, which he said was ”one of the most reactionary farm bills in the history of the US”, though he did give credit to President George W.Bush for attempting to veto the bill.
The meetings, which nearly broke down at the end of last week, got a new lease of life when a draft agreement circulated by Mr Lamy was accepted as a basis for negotiations. But renewed tensions between China, India and the US proved insurmountable.
Mr Lamy defended his decision to call a meeting of ministers when large negotiating gaps remained between delegations.
“None of the ministers to whom I have put this question told me I should not have done it,” he said. “The reason they believe this is just getting where we are now, and constructing – on the basis of seven years’ negotiation – a bridge towards the end, was worthwhile.”
Several ministers said the issue on which the talks had foundered – a mechanism allowing countries such as India and China to protect farmers from surges in imports – was a relatively small part of the talks, and there had been good progress in issues such as the long-running dispute over banana imports to the EU.
But they admitted it was not clear whether those gains could be preserved and picked up again at a later date.
Kamal Nath, Indian trade minister, said: “It is unfortunate in a development round, this is the last mile we couldn’t run because of an issue of livelihood security.” But he said India’s confidence in the WTO and the multilateral system remained intact. “I’m very disappointed this had to be the final result,” he said.
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Steel group dives after Putin attack
By Catherine Belton, Rachel Morarjee and Charles Clover in Moscow
Published: July 29 2008 18:43 | Last updated: July 29 2008 18:43
Foreign investors in Russia have been served a costly reminder of the political risks of doing business in the country after a week in which a few sentences from Vladimir Putin, the prime minister, helped wipe out half of the value of a New York-listed steelmaker.
Mechel saw its shares plummet after Mr Putin accused Igor Zyuzin, the group’s majority owner, of price-gouging and tax evasion. Before the remarks Mr Zyuzin ranked as Russia’s 12th richest man with a fortune estimated at $11bn. On Tuesday, his worth was about $5.5bn (€3.5bn, £2.7bn).
The reclusive tycoon, a mining engineer, was first the target of criticism from Mr Putin at an industry conference last Thursday when he was accused of charging domestic consumers more than foreign ones. The premier threatened to send him a doctor to deal with his claimed ill health.
“Sickness is sickness,” Mr Putin said. “I think Igor Vladimirovich [Zyuzin] should get better as quickly as possible; otherwise we’ll have to send him a doctor to clear up all these problems.”
Then, just as investors started to recover their poise, after Mechel and a senior aide to Dmitry Medvedev, the Russian president, made conciliatory statements, Mr Putin on Monday accused the company of evading taxes. For the second time in less than a week a third of the company’s value was wiped out.
Investors are at a loss as to how to read Mr Putin’s attack. The only thing that is clear, analysts and bankers said, is that Mr Putin – even though he stepped down as president in May – merely has to flex his muscles to send investors fleeing. The RTS index is down about 10 per cent since Mr Putin’s criticism began.
“The political risk premium is rising again,” said a banker, speaking on condition of anonymity. “Putin can wake up, target any company he wants and investors take it in the shorts.”
The criticism prompted fears of a repeat of the state-led attack on Mikhail Khodorkovsky’s Yukos oil group, which led to its takeover by the state and the incarceration of the oligarch for fraud and tax evasion. Igor Shuvalov, Mr Putin’s second in command, on Tuesday dismissed the comparison.
Vladimir Zhukov, metals and mining analyst at Lehman Brothers, said that Mechel might have been targeted as part of a government inquest into price gouging in the steel industry. Mechel is one of Russia’s largest producers of coking coal, a critical material for steel, and has boosted prices sharply to domestic customers. Since the beginning of the year domestic coal prices have risen as much as 150 per cent.
Mr Putin claimed that Mechel was exporting for lower prices than it was charging in Russia in order to avoid tax.
Chris Weafer, chief strategist at Uralsib investment bank in Moscow, said that with inflation running high, keeping producer costs down had become a priority for Mr Putin. He said, the case showed that “Putin is the one investors listen to, Medvedev has been silenced on this while Putin is making the running.”
Mechel declined to comment on Tuesday. On Friday it said in a statement it shared official concerns about price rises and said it would co-operate with the authorities.
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France to tax insurers in move to cut health bill
By Ben Hall in Paris
Published: July 30 2008 03:00 | Last updated: July 30 2008 03:00
The French government unveiled a tax on health insurers and a raft of other measures yesterday aimed at trimming an annual €4bn ($6.2bn, £3.1bn) overspend on healthcare.
The tax on the turnover of private health insurance companies and mutual insurance funds, which provide top-up cover, will raise €1bn a year.
The government will also try to curb overprescription of medication and will reduce the price paid for x-rays, blood tests and hospital transport.
France has one of the best health systems in the world but it comes at a high price. The health budget will amount to €152bn this year, about 11 per cent of gross domestic product.
It is funded by compulsory social insurance but for years the revenues have not covered the rapidly growing expenditure.
Increasing social charges paid by employees and employers would add to France's non-wage labour costs, already among Europe's highest.
Eliminating the health overspend is deemed essential by the government if France is to meet its goal of balancing its books by 2012, after a total public sector deficit of 2.7 per cent of GDP last year.
The health system notched up a deficit of €4.6bn last year, a big improvement on the €11.6bn overspent in 2004. But Eric Woerth, the budget minister, gave warning yesterday that the deficit was set to grow rapidly.
"If we do nothing, the deficit will widen each year by an additional €2bn," Mr Woerth told Le Parisien newspaper.
The government could have plugged the deficit by putting up prescription costs and increasing the percentage of treatment costs not reimbursed to patients, but it chose to find other forms of raising revenue instead.
President Nicolas Sarkozy triggered a political storm a year ago when he raised prescription charges, albeit by a modest sum, not least because the move coincided with a €15bn tax-cut package skewed toward the wealthy.
However, opposition socialists claimed that health insurers would simply pass on the tax to patients in the form of higher premiums.
French governments have repeatedly taken steps to trim spending and increase revenues but have never balanced the books, not least because the French health system comprises selfemployed doctors and free-standing institutions whose work is paid by an insurance fund, rather than directly from government coffers.
Over the past 25 years health spending has increased on average each year by 1.3 per cent faster than the growth of the economy. CNAM, the body that oversees compulsory health insurance, believes that if the trend of the past decade continues, health spending could increase from €140bn in 2006 to €210bn by 2015.
One structural problem in the French system is that patients can go directly to specialist doctors without being referred by a generalist or family doctor. The government has set out to curb that by making patients pay more if they consult a specialist directly. It has also introduced higher prescription charges and has considered scrapping other benefits, such as free eyeglasses.
Additionally, it has begun a hospital rationalisation programme, grouping smaller hospitals under the control of regional centres. Hospitals are to be paid entirely in relation to their activity in an effort to boost productivity. The government also wants to limit doctors' freedom to choose where they practise.
The savings announced yesterday will be achieved in part by shifting costs from one budget to another. For example, the health insurance fund's €9bn of debts will be taken off the books and placed with a different standalone entity. That will save the health system €400m a year in interest payments, although the government will still have to foot the bill.
The government will also try to ensure that payments for work-related illness and accidents come from a fund established for that purpose, not from the general health insurance fund.
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China's factory workers gain recognition for grievances
By Tom Mitchell in Shenzhen
Published: July 30 2008 03:00 | Last updated: July 30 2008 03:00
In March 2006 Zhang Zhiru, founder of the Shenzhen Migrant Workers Association, collected 10,000 signatures requesting free arbitration services for workers in labour disputes. For his trouble, police in the southern Chinese manufacturing hub detained the activist for four hours.
A few months later, Mr Zhang organised an online drive that generated a similarly strong response. "The two petitions were quite successful," he says. "But as a result, our association was banned by the government."
Two years on, the indefatigable Mr Zhang is director of the Shenzhen Chunfeng Labour Disputes Service Centre, which offers workers free courses on their legal rights and helps them pursue industrial injury claims.
The shift in his fortunes is telling. Like other activists who for years have been fighting for workers' rights in the Pearl River Delta in Guangdong province, source of most of the cheap Chinese goods that have flooded the world over the past decade, Mr Zhang now operates with the approval of the government, which has granted Chunfeng an official registration.
It is still a delicate balance. While China's rising number of middle-class malcontents are quick to protest one-off threats to their relatively comfortable existences - such as a nuclear plant or rail project nearby - they are otherwise coddled by government policies. Workers' grievances, by contrast, range from exploitation by employers to administrative discrimination against migrants who have moved to coastal factory towns from poor provinces in the interior.
They also have a lot less to lose than China's professional classes, making any independent labour movement forged outside the official All China Federation of Trade Unions one of the greatest potential threats to the Communist party's grip on power.
Official preoccupation with economic output, to which independent trade unions are seen as a threat, places limits on the activities even of tolerated nongovernmental organisations such as Chunfeng. Union organisation "is a sensitive subject", Mr Zhang says. "We would like to [help workers organise] but that's the government's job. We are just trying to make workers more aware of their legal rights."
Despite the restrictions, Chunfeng has never been busier. "Before this year, we handled about 10 cases a month," says Mr Zhang, who turns 34 this year. "Now it's up to about 30." The catalyst is China's new Labour Contract Law, which took effect in January after two years of intense debate.
In January, the number of labour disputes accepted for arbitration in Shenzhen more than quadrupled to 740. Similar leaps have been recorded in other cities. Worker activists have welcomed the law for beginning to address a Dickensian imbalance in employer-employee relations belying the official push to build a more "harmonious" society.
"You began to see [the political shift] in 2006 when the consultation period for the Labour Contract Law started," says Han Dongfang, director of the Hong Kong-based China Labour Bulletin. "That was the official signal that enough was enough. The situation had gone too far. It wasn't a harmonious society. It was the opposite." Seen from this perspective, the new law is as much a consequence of China's emerging labour movement as it is a spur for it.
The law entitles more workers to open-ended contracts and a month's compensation for every year served if they are made redundant. It also restricts companies' ability to hire workers on an informal basis through third-party labour agencies and later fire them without compensation.
At least as important, the law appears to enshrine a right to collective bargaining. That raises the prospect of in-house unions that are independent in practice, if not in name, from the government-affiliated ACFTU. Unions established outside its umbrella remain illegal.
Since 2006, ACFTU has intensified efforts to establish branches in companies where those did not previously exist, with an emphasis on large foreign multinationals such as Wal-Mart. These unions are now beginning to flex their collective bargaining muscles. Agreements were recently concluded at Wal-Mart stores in three cities including Shenzhen.
"Negotiations went slowly because everything had to be approved by Wal-Mart headquarters," says Fu Furong, head of the ACFTU branch in Quanzhou, Fujian province. "But the process was quite smooth. It does not compare to the effort involved in establishing the first Wal-Mart union two years ago."
This year, ACFTU's Shenzhen chapter, which Mr Han and other activists say is among the country's most progressive, displayed its new-found sense of initiative by retaining six law firms to represent workers. Considering the relatively tame request for free arbitration services that landed Mr Zhang in trouble two years ago, the retainers are one measure of just how far the labour debate has moved in China. Zheng Ma, a lawyer at one of the firms, says: "I see changes in the Shenzhen ACFTU's attitude. It wants to provide better service."
ACFTU officials in Shenzhen declined requests for an interview. But Mr Han of China Labour Bulletin sees a simple imperative behind ACFTU's actions - survival. Itrisked irrelevance because it was neither preventing unrest nor adequately representing workers. "If I were an ACFTU official, I wouldn't have been able to sleep," Mr Han says. "The Labour Contract Law presented ACFTU with a big opportunity."
Implementation, however, can vary widely, as illustrated by Zou Pingzhen's mixed experience with the new law. In January, Mr Zou's employer of 13 years, a Hong Kong printing company with operations in Shenzhen, offered him a three-year contract, even though his long service entitled him to an open-ended one. "There were over 400 workers with more than 10 years' service in the factory," says Mr Zou, a 38-year-old father of two. "I wrote to ACFTU but it wouldn't help. Then we turned to NGOs and I led more than 100 people to the [district] labour bureau to complain." The workers eventually prevailed in April, when those entitled to open-ended contracts received them.
But Mr Zou, a warehouse supervisor at the outset of the dispute, says he was demoted and denied overtime, reducing his salary from Rmb3,000 ($440, £220, €280) a month to Rmb1,100. "They said I was illegally trying to organise my own trade union, which was not true," he says. "I am just a normal person who knows how to protect himself and help others."
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ArcelorMittal surprises with 31% profit surge, sees more
AFP
AFP - 17 minutes ago
PARIS (AFP) - ArcelorMittal, the biggest steel group in the world, reported a 31-percent leap in net profit to 8.2 billion dollars (5.3 billion euros) on Wednesday and said it expected even stronger trends in the third quarter.
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ArcelorMittal said that the figures, well ahead of targets, were driven by a rise in its steep prices and strong demand from emerging countries.
In the second quarter alone, net profit rose by 114 percent to 5.8 billion dollars.
First-half profit before earnings, interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation rose by 35 percent from the equivalent figure last year to 13.09 billion dollars.
The figure for the second quarter was 8.04 billion dollars compared with a forecast of 6.5 billion dollars.
Sales in the first half rose by 31 percent to 67.6 billion dollars.
The price of shares in the group rose by 8.39 percent to 57.76 euros on the stock market here. The overall CAC 40 index showed a gain of 1.05 percent.
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British bank Lloyds TSB net profit falls 63%
AFP
AFP - 13 minutes ago
LONDON (AFP) - Lloyds TSB, Britain's fifth biggest bank by market value, reported on Wednesday a 63-percent drop in net profit during the first half of 2008 as its revenue fell and bad debts increased.
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"A strong underlying business performance was offset, largely by the impact of market dislocation and adverse volatility relating to the group's insurance businesses," Lloyds TSB chief executive Eric Daniels said in an earnings statement.
"Looking forward, we expect a lower level of growth in the UK economy which will impact our business," he added.
Lloyds TSB said that it had no direct exposure to the US subprime housing market that has caused a number of banks worldwide to post heavy write-downs during 2008.
Lloyds said that net profit stood at 576 million pounds (732 million euros, 1.14 billion dollars) in the six months to June 30 compared with 1.54 billion pounds during the same period in 2007.
Group income dropped 17 percent to 4.63 billion pounds and impairment charges, or losses from loans written off, jumped by 31 percent to 1.1 billion pounds, the bank added in the results statement.
Pre-tax profit slumped by 70 percent to 599 million pounds.
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Rio Tinto to invest $2.15 bln in Brazil iron ore mine
AFP
AFP - 20 minutes ago
SYDNEY (AFP) - Anglo-Australian mining giant Rio Tinto announced Wednesday that it will invest 2.15 billion US dollars in a major expansion of its iron ore mine in Corumba, Brazil.
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The investment would boost annual capacity of the mine more than five-fold from 2.4 million tonnes a year to 12.8 million tonnes, with new production starting in the fourth quarter of 2010, the company said in a statement.
Rio Tinto will also undertake a feasibility study for a further expansion that would take annual capacity to 23.2 million tonnes.
The expansion of Corumba would capitalise on increasing demand for iron ore in South America and the Middle East and increase Rio Tinto's presence in Europe, the company said.
"This is a very significant step forward in our drive to extend iron ore operations beyond the Pilbara region in Western Australia," said Rio Tinto chief executive Tom Albanese.
Rio Tinto announced recently it had reached agreement with all of its customers in Asia for iron ore price increases of up to 97 percent, enabling it to expand production from the Pilbara.
The Corumba investment brings to nearly 11 billion dollars the total capital expenditure that Rio Tinto has committed since 2003 to develop its iron ore business.
"The development of Corumba reinforces our capability to expand capacity rapidly to match increased demand wherever it occurs," Albanese said.
"The move strengthens our position as the only iron ore producer with a truly global production and growth platform, giving us access to a wide range of markets."
Two new ports will be constructed together with improved infrastructure networks to link a multinational supply chain for the mine, the company said.
A new northern river port will be established at Albuquerque in Brazil, barging operations will operate through the international zone of the River Paraguay and a new southern river port will be constructed at Agraciada in Uruguay.
Rio Tinto is the target of a hostile takeover bid by the world's biggest miner, BHP Billiton. The bid is under scrutiny by the European Union's executive commission.
Europe's top antitrust watchdog has said it will rule by November on whether to block the 147-billion-dollar takeover or allow BHP Billiton to try and complete its push to forge an unrivalled global resources giant.
Rio Tinto says BHP's offer significantly undervalues its assets and prospects.
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SKorea, Turkey in 400 mln dlr tank deal: officials
AFP
AFP - Wednesday, July 30 07:44 am
SEOUL (AFP) - South Korea said it has signed a 400-million-dollar contract to help Turkey develop a new tank, in what will be the first time Seoul has exported tanks or related technology.
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Under the deal signed in Ankara on Tuesday, South Korea will help Turkey develop its new main battle tank by 2015, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said in a press statement.
"The Turkish government has recognised our rich experience and advanced technology in developing battle tanks," DAPA said. "It also demonstrates the superiority of our defence technology."
The deal includes technology transfer worth 330 million dollars and the production of four prototypes worth 70 million dollars, Hyundai Rotem said.
When development is completed, Turkey reportedly plans to produce some 200 of the tanks.
"This project is a new landmark in the two countries' cooperation in defence technology," Defence Minister Lee Sang-Hee was quoted as saying by Yonhap news agency.
Turkey is one of the largest customers of South Korean defence products.
State-funded Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) last year signed a 500-million-dollar contract to deliver 55 KT-1 trainers to Turkey's air force by 2013.
Yonhap said Turkey also wants to buy some 100 million dollars worth of weapons, including 155mm self-propelled artillery, from South Korea this year.
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IMF says Japan likely to endure 'modest' economic slowdown
AFP
By Justin Cole AFP - Wednesday, July 30 03:25 am
WASHINGTON (AFP) - Japan's economy looks set to endure a "modest" slowdown as economic problems hamper the United States and as global stock markets continue to be plagued by turmoil, an IMF report warned Tuesday.
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In an annual review of the world's second-largest economy, the International Monetary Fund said Japan has shown resilience to the US slowdown and global market jitters, partly because of the low exposure of Japanese banks to the ailing US mortgage market, but said it was being buffeted by trade shortfalls and "weakening" consumer confidence.
"We see the economy in Japan clearly slowing down," said Daniel Citrin, the IMF's deputy director and mission chief for Japan.
IMF economists expect Japan to experience a so-called economic "soft landing," but they said that further global economic turbulence could affect this outlook.
The Washington-based multilateral institution forecasts that Japan's economic growth will cool to 1.5 percent this year, compared with annualized gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 2.1 percent in 2007 and 2.4 percent in 2006.
Citrin, talking to reporters on a conference call, said Japan's economy struggled for momentum during the second quarter of this year, but predicted that growth would pick up modestly during the second half of 2008.
Economists have been keeping a nervous watch on Japan's economy to see if it has been impacted by slowing US growth, which has been weighed down by a sharp housing market slump, a credit squeeze and soaring world oil prices.
America is a vital export market for Japanese goods and many large Japanese firms, such as Toyota and Sony, have a big presence in the world's largest economy.
The IMF said that demand from countries other than the United States, particularly in Asia, had helped prop up Japanese exports this year.
The international financial watchdog also said the spike in oil and other
commodity prices over the past year could present a risk to Japanese growth.
Japan is vulnerable to oil price shocks because it imports all the oil consumed by its voracious economy.
Asked how rocketing fuel costs have impacted Japan, Citrin replied:"It's had a big impact."
Oil prices streaked to record highs over 147 dollars a barrel earlier this month, but have since moderated to around 122 dollars on international markets.
Private economists have voiced increased concern recently about mounting inflationary pressures in Japan which are unsettling consumers.
Japan's core inflation rate hit 1.9 percent in June, the fastest pace since January 1998 when consumer prices rose 2.0 percent, according to a government report Friday. It was the ninth straight monthly increase in prices.
The IMF meanwhile praised the Bank of Japan (BoJ) for its liquidity operations, saying its proactive stance had helped underpin the country's financial markets during global market turmoil.
The BoJ has kept interest rates pegged at 0.50 percent since February. BoJ chief Masaaki Shirakawa said earlier this month that the Japanese economy was slowing, but predicted it would avert a recession.
The losses of commercial Japanese banks, who invested in US mortgage securities, have risen to eight billion dollars, but such losses pale in comparison to the vast losses sustained by some US banks, a small number of which have gone out of business this year.
The IMF said the profits and capital held by Japan's banks should enable them to comfortably absorb the eight billion dollars in losses endured so far by their exposure to the US housing downturn.
Citrin added that the economic policies of Japan's government had been "broadly appropriate."
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SEC extends restrictions on short-selling
By RICHARD JACOBSEN, Associated Press Writer 1 hour, 48 minutes ago
Federal regulators on Tuesday extended through mid-August a temporary order banning a certain kind of short-selling of the stocks of mortgage finance companies Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and 17 large investment banks.
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The Securities and Exchange Commission said the ban on so-called "naked" short selling will be in effect until 11:59 p.m. EDT on Aug. 12 and will not be extended.
Short sellers make a bet that a stock's price will fall so that they can profit from it. They borrow shares of the stock and sell them. If the price drops, they buy cheaper actual shares to cover the borrowed ones, pocketing the difference.
"Naked" short selling occurs when sellers don't even borrow the shares before selling them, and then look to cover positions immediately after the sale. The SEC order requires short sellers to actually borrow shares before selling them.
SEC Chairman Christopher Cox said the order was also helping prevent potential "distort and short" manipulation of stocks, which occurs when rumors and misinformation are used to drive down the price of a stock that has been sold short.
"In addition to continuing the existing order against naked short selling, the commission will continue exploring other remedies for the broader marketplace to further protect investors from 'distort and short' artists," Cox said in a statement.
The SEC said that extending the restrictions on short selling will allow regulators more time to collect and analyze data on the order's impact and effectiveness.
After ban runs out, regulators will move to draw up formal rules to provide additional protections against abusive naked short selling in the broader market, while allowing legitimate short selling, the SEC said.
Advocates for smaller banks and investment firms have been urging the SEC to expand the ban on naked short selling to cover additional financial companies.
Analysts and government regulators blamed aggressive short selling for exacerbating the recent plunge in Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's stock, as well as that of big investment house Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.
The SEC initially announced the emergency order on July 15 after a perilous slide in shares of Fannie and Freddie, the government-sponsored companies that together hold or guarantee more than $5 trillion in home mortgages — nearly half the U.S. total.
The regulators' move followed a 13 percent drop in the price of Fannie shares and a 22 percent plunge in Freddie's on July 10, when a news report said the government had begun contingency planning in the event the companies failed. The next day, Freddie shares plummeted 33 percent at one point and Fannie stock lost 29 percent of its value.
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５地区で基調判断を下方修正 財務局長会議
財務省は30日の全国財務局長会議で、4―6月期の地域経済情勢報告をまとめた。全国11地域のうち北海道、東海、近畿、中国、福岡の5地域で、基調判断を前回（1―3月期）より下方修正した。5つの地域で基調判断を下方修正するのは3四半期連続。各地域からは米経済の減速に伴う企業生産の伸び悩みや、物価上昇による消費者心理の冷え込みを指摘する声が相次いだ。
47都道府県の経済情勢に関しては、35都道府県の基調判断を下方修正した。都道府県別の判断を公表し始めた2004年以降、最多の下方修正となった。
全国では「多くの地域で足踏み状態にあり、また一部の地域に弱い動きがみられる」との総括判断を示し、2四半期連続で表現を後退させた。「海外経済や原油・原材料価格の動向などに留意する必要がある」との見通しも示した。
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(7/30)東海・近畿など５地域、景況判断を下方修正 財務局長会議
財務省は30日の全国財務局長会議で、4―6月期の地域経済情勢報告をまとめた。全国11地域のうち北海道、東海、近畿、中国、福岡の5地域で、基調判断を前回（1―3月期）より下方修正した。5つの地域で景況判断を下方修正するのは3四半期連続。各地域からは米経済の減速に伴う生産の伸び悩みや、物価上昇による消費者心理の冷え込みを指摘する声が相次いだ。
47都道府県の経済情勢に関しては、35都道府県の基調判断を下方修正した。県別の判断を公表し始めた2004年以降、最多の下方修正となった。
全国では「多くの地域で足踏み状態にあり、また一部の地域に弱い動きがみられる」との総括判断を示し、2四半期連続で表現を後退させた。「海外経済や原油・原材料価格の動向などに留意する必要がある」との見通しも示した。
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ハウス野菜に燃料サーチャージ ＪＡ宮崎経済連が11月にも
ハウス栽培の野菜に燃料サーチャージ（価格変動調整金）をかけようという動きが浮上している。ＪＡ宮崎経済連（宮崎市）は29日、ピーマンなどに制度を導入する方針を明らかにした。暖房に必要な重油の価格変動分を野菜の出荷価格に反映させる仕組み。11月の導入を目指して卸会社や小売りと交渉する。燃料費高騰の影響が野菜の店頭価格にも及ぶ可能性が出てきた。
ＪＡ宮崎経済連が同日、東京・大田市場で全農やホクレンなど21のＪＡ組織に概要を説明し連携を呼びかけた。会議では「小売りや消費者の理解が得られないのではないか」といった声も出たが、品目やサーチャージの幅を独自に定めれば独占禁止法に抵触しないという。
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連続・大量のデータ通信、ａｕが対象契約者の通信速度を制限
ＫＤＤＩと沖縄セルラー電話は30日、ａｕ携帯電話のインターネット接続サービス「ＥＺｗｅｂ」で、連続的に大容量データを通信する契約者の通信速度を 10月1日から制限すると発表した。2カ月前の通信データ量が月300万パケット（「着うたフル」で250―300曲分のデータ量に相当）以上の利用者を対象とする。通信ネットワークの負荷を軽減し、契約者全体に対する通信品質の向上につなげる。
速度制限の程度は通信網の状況や地域で異なる。通信量が多い午後9時から午前1時までの時間帯を制限の対象とする。対象となる契約数は全体の1―3％にあたる30万―90万件程度と見ている。
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エムアールシー・デュポン、人工大理石を15％値上げ
米デュポンと三菱レイヨンの合弁会社、エムアールシー・デュポン（東京・港）は30日、人工大理石製品を値上げすると発表した。9月出荷分からで、全製品の価格を15％引き上げる。ナフサ（粗製ガソリン）の高騰で原料となる樹脂の価格が上昇しているため。人工大理石はキッチンの天板や洗面所のほか、商業施設のショーケースの材料として使われており、キッチンメーカーなどに供給している。
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新日鉄八幡が生産再開、20時間ぶり コークス緊急手配
29日朝に発生した火災の影響で一時休止していた新日本製鉄八幡製鉄所（北九州市）の高炉が30日午前7時26分、約20時間ぶりに稼働し、粗鋼生産を再開した。製鋼以外の後工程も操業を始めており、午後3時までには火元であるコークス工場を除く全工程が復旧する見通し。
同製鉄所では同日午前1時ころコークス工場周辺で2回爆発があったがけが人はなかった。火災現場ではガスの燃焼が続いており鎮火は午後以降になると見られる。
今のところ鋼材ユーザーへの影響はないが、新日鉄の嶋宏副社長は30日午前、都内で記者団に対し「品種によっては納期調整（遅れ）もあり得る」と話した。
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日航、国際貨物を半日短縮 緊急の部品輸送など開拓
日本航空は日本発の国際貨物の輸送時間を従来より半日ほど短縮できる新サービスを8月に始める。顧客企業から貨物を集荷する際に物流会社の施設を経由せず、空港内の日航の施設に直接持ち込むことで集荷の締め切り時間を遅らせる。海外の工場に部品などを緊急輸送する需要を取り込む。日航は通常より料金を割高に設定し、国際貨物事業の採算を改善する。
新サービスはフォワーダー（混載事業者）と呼ばれる物流会社が集荷した貨物を成田、関西国際、中部国際の3空港にある日航の施設に直接持ち込む。日航は午前6時ごろまでに持ち込まれた貨物を当日午前や昼の旅客便でアジアや欧米に空輸する。日本通運や近鉄エクスプレスなど物流各社と協力する。
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生活関連卸、３年ぶり減益 07年度、衣料品不振響く 日経調査
食品、医薬品、繊維など生活関連の卸売業の経常利益は2007年度（一部見込み含む）に前年度比5.0％減少し、3年ぶりに減益となった。日本経済新聞の調査でわかった。衣料品の売り上げ不振が続く繊維卸が全体の足を引っ張った。昨秋以降、メーカーによる値上げが相次ぐ一方、消費者の節約志向は高まるばかりで、卸を取り巻く経営環境は厳しさを増している。（詳細を30日付日経ＭＪに）
調査は消費財を中心に扱う卸売業932社を対象に実施。685社の有効回答をまとめた。全体の経常利益は4770億円（比較可能な426社）。全14業種のうち10業種が減益で、時計・貴金属卸、家具卸など6業種の落ち込みが目立つ。特に繊維卸の経常利益は06年度の1.2％増から14.4％減になった。主力の婦人服でワンピース以外のヒット商品がない上、食品やガソリンの価格上昇で買い控えが広がり、不振に拍車をかけた。
一方、売上高首位となったメディセオ・パルタックホールディングスなど医薬品卸は好調だった。
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電力６社業績、悪化鮮明に 今期、3社最終赤字転落へ
東北電力など電力6社の業績悪化が鮮明だ。相次いで2009年3月期の業績見通しを下方修正。原油高で燃料費がかさみ、6社中3社が09年3月期は最終赤字に転落する見通しだ。
東北電力は09年3月期の連結最終損益が630億円の赤字に転落する見通し。想定原油価格を1バレル90ドルから125ドルに引き上げ、燃料費負担が 900億円程度増えることが響く。最終赤字となるのは29年ぶり。中国電力も想定原油価格の見直しで燃料費などが650億円程度増える。電力会社は火力発電所で使う燃料として原油などを利用する。
四国電力と沖縄電力は通期業績を下方修正したものの、最終損益は黒字にとどまる。「原子力発電所の利用率が（他の電力会社に比べ）高く、原油高の影響を受けにくい」（四国電力）ためだ。東京、関西電力も最終赤字に陥るとの業績見通しを28日に発表済み。
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メキシコの水処理大手を買収 三井物産と東洋エンジ
三井物産は東洋エンジニアリングと共同でメキシコの水処理大手、アーステック・メキシカン・ホールディングスを買収した。買収金額は60億円程度とみられる。アーステックは産業廃水や下水の処理設備の設計・建設などに独自技術を持つ。三井物産はアーステックとメキシコで共同事業を手掛けてきたが、傘下に入れることで中東や北米などに協力の範囲を広げる。
発行済み全株式を米エンジニアリング大手のエイコム・テクノロジー社から買い取った。出資比率は三井物産が85％、東洋エンジ15％。
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千代田区、来春にも共同集配 トラック減へ物流拠点
東京都千代田区で来春にもビル事業者や運送会社、自治体が協力し、同区内から地域外に出す荷物、同区内に入る荷物の共同集配を始める。送り手、受け手ごとにバラバラに搬入、搬出されている荷物を江東区と品川区に設ける共同配送拠点で方面別に仕分け、混載することで千代田区内を走る物流車両の量を減らす。交通混雑の緩和と二酸化炭素（ＣＯ2）排出量の削減をめざす。
対象地域は千代田区の大手町・丸の内・有楽町と神田地区。ビル所有企業などで組織する「大手町・丸の内・有楽町地区再開発計画推進協議会」、商店街組織「神田駅西口商店街振興組合」と都市計画、環境対策のコンサルティング会社、エックス都市研究所（東京・豊島）が計画づくりをしており、８月中に千代田区、都、警察当局、運送会社の業界団体などと共同配送を運営する新しい協議会を立ち上げる。
新協議会は年内に参加する運送会社などを決め、共同集配事業に荷物を託すよう自家配送する事業者や地域内のテナントに呼び掛けを始める。荷物の受託料は１個100―150円の範囲を検討している。
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海自最大演習、中止も視野 原油高で海幕長
海上自衛隊トップの赤星慶治海上幕僚長は29日の記者会見で、毎年秋に実施している海自最大規模の実動演習について「原油高の影響が大きい。重要な訓練だが、最悪の場合は中止も視野に検討する必要がある」と述べた。
同演習は1954年の自衛隊発足以来1度も中止したことはない。海自で原油価格高騰を受けて訓練方法を見直してきたが、予想以上の価格上昇で一層の燃料節減を迫られている。
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燃料高、自衛隊も痛手 海上演習の中止も検討
戦車や戦闘機の省エネ操縦から風呂の追いだき禁止まで―。燃料価格の高騰は、年間1000億円以上の燃料費予算を計上する自衛隊を直撃。日々の任務や訓練、部隊生活での節約にとどまらず、秋の演習シーズンを前に演習の規模縮小や中止も検討し始めるなど、想定外の“敵”への対応に追われている。
海自トップの赤星慶治海上幕僚長は29日の定例会見で、毎年秋に恒例の「海上自衛隊演習」について「規模見直しや中止も視野に検討しなければならない」との見通しを示した。
防衛省によると、ジェット燃料、艦船や戦車用の軽油などの燃料費は、当初の見通しより平均で約6割上昇。護衛艦や潜水艦などのほか、Ｐ３Ｃ哨戒機など航空機も多く抱え、3自衛隊で最も多い燃料費約472億円を計上する海自は、基地に近い海域で訓練したり、2つのスクリューのうち片方を止めるなど省エネに努めてきた。
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原油高騰：「陛下が懸念」海上パレード中止 宮内庁、新潟県に連絡
原油高の影響が、公式行事の海上パレードにまで波及した。半世紀以上続く海上自衛隊の実動演習までも見直す異常事態に。一方、庶民は物価高も相まって、夏休みにマイカーで繰り出す家庭も減る。
新潟県は２９日、９月６～７日に新潟市で開かれる「第２８回全国豊かな海づくり大会」の「海上パレード」について、宮内庁を通じて伝えられた天皇陛下の意向を受け中止すると発表した。水産資源の保護、環境保全の大切さを訴えるため各県持ち回りで毎年開かれ、例年、天皇、皇后両陛下が臨席している。
宮内庁によると、陛下は、現下の漁業及び漁業関係者を取り巻く厳しい環境を踏まえ、日々の漁業活動に及ぼす影響を最小限にとどめつつ、今回の海づくり大会の運営に当たっていただきたい、との気持ちを示したという。
燃料費高騰を懸念されたとみられ、全国一斉休漁があった今月１５日、同庁から「これ（海上パレード）に代わることができないか検討いただけないか」と、県秘書課に電話があった。実行委員会会長の泉田裕彦知事は１６日、専決でパレード中止を決定。２９日に漁業関係者や関係自治体などに文書で連絡した。
県大会推進室によると、海上パレードはこれまで、しけで２回中止されたが、天候以外の理由の中止は初めてという。【渡辺暢】
◇海自演習も検討
赤星慶治・海幕長は２９日の会見で、燃料費の高騰で今秋の実動演習「海上自衛隊演習」の中止を検討していることを明らかにした。同演習は１９５４年から半世紀以上続いているが、７０年代のオイルショック期を含め中止されたことはない。
赤星海幕長は「緊急用、災害派遣用燃料を確保するには、もっと大規模な削減を図らなければ」と話した。
海自はこれまで、艦艇の訓練を従来より近い海域でやったり、洋上訓練を港に係留したままで実施するなどして燃料節減に努めてきた。しかし、燃料費が当初想定より５割増になり、さらに見直しを迫られていた。
同演習は護衛艦や潜水艦約８０～９０隻、航空機約１７０機が参加する海自最大の運用演習。
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夏休み、働く人の21％が「帰省」 ガソリン高で増加
電通子会社の電通リサーチ（東京・中央）がまとめた夏休みに関する調査によると、働いている人に休暇の過ごし方を聞いたところ「帰省する」と回答した割合が前年比6.0ポイント上昇して21.6％となり、前年の2位から1位に順位を上げた。一方で、国内旅行は4.3ポイント低下して20.4％となり、前年の1位から2位に後退した。
3位は12.3％の「なるべく家にいる」で、順位は前年と同じだったが2.7ポイント上昇した。同社は「ガソリン高でレジャーを控え気味にしたい消費者が増えた」と分析している。
調査は6月12―22日にかけて訪問面接方式で実施。東京駅から30キロ圏内に住む15―59歳の男女630人から回答を得た。
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国税滞納残高、９年連続で減少 07年度
2007年度の所得税や法人税、消費税など国税の滞納残高は前年度比4.1％減の1兆6151億円となり、9年連続で減少したことが29日、国税庁のまとめで分かった。ピークの1998年度の2兆8149億円に比べ、6割程度の水準。
滞納の新規発生は同1.9％減の8825億円と2年連続で減少。同年度中に滞納の整理を終えたのは9517億円と、新規発生を約690億円上回り、滞納残高が圧縮された。
滞納の新規発生を税目別でみると、消費税が3984億円と全体の45.1％を占め最も多かった。国税庁は「少額の滞納は電話の催告を活用し、従来は少額案件に携わっていた職員を大口や悪質な徴収逃れに重点配置することで、全体の徴収効率の上昇につながった」としている。
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関東で激しい雷雨 ＪＲ山手線、一時運転見合わせ
関東地方では29日夜、局地的に激しい雷雨に襲われた。東京都内では落雷によりＪＲ山手線全線などが一時運転を見合わせ、国立競技場ではサッカー五輪代表の壮行試合が途中で打ち切りとなるなど各地で影響が出た。1時間の最大雨量は練馬で41.5ミリ、世田谷で32.5ミリなど。上空にある寒気の下層に暖かく湿った空気が流れ込んだため大気の状態が不安定になったのが原因。
東京都北区のＪＲ田端駅付近で29日午後8時40分ごろ、落雷による信号トラブルが発生。山手線全線と京浜東北線の大宮―大船駅間で約1時間半にわたり運転を見合わせるなど40本が運休し、約12万人に影響が出た。
国立競技場のサッカー五輪代表のアルゼンチン戦は、落雷の危険が出てきたため、後半途中の午後9時15分ごろ試合を打ち切った。
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業績低迷でスポンサー激怒…すかいらーく社長退任せよ
ＭＢＯ（経営陣による自社買収）で非上場化した外食チェーン最大手すかいらーくの主要株主の投資会社２社が、創業一族の横川竟（きわむ）社長（７０）に退任を要求したことが３０日、分かった。原油高や原材料高の影響で、外食産業全体が不振に陥るなか、投資会社は「業績低迷から抜け出せないでいる経営者は切る」とのシビアな姿勢を示したとみられる。
退陣要求を突き付けたのは、野村証券系の投資会社の野村プリンシパル・ファイナンスと英系投資会社のＣＶＣキャピタルパートナーズの２社。
すかいらーくは２００６年、投資会社２社に横川氏ら経営陣が加わり、同社をＭＢＯで非上場化した。
ＭＢＯ額は２７００億円に達し、昨年末時点の持ち株比率は野村が６１．５％、ＣＶＣが３５．６％で２社合わせて約９７％を占める。２社はすかいらーくを０９年中にも再上場させ、投資資金を回収することを念頭に置いていた。
【２期連続の最終赤字】
ところが、すかいらーくは０７年１２月期まで２期連続の最終赤字で、０８年１２月期も外食離れが進み苦戦が予想されている。投資会社２社は、横川社長のもとでは低迷脱却は見込めず、投資資金の回収に支障が出るおそれもあると判断し、退陣を求めたとみられる。
ＭＢＯは、経営陣が投資家と共同で自社株を買い取って経営権を取得するもので、敵対的買収を防ぐために用いられることが多い。
ただ、実態は投資会社による「買収」のような意味合いが強い。
「ＭＢＯは、投資会社がもうけるために考案した仕組みです。経営者に会社を買い取るカネはないので、ほとんどの資金を投資会社が出す。買収するのは経営陣ではなく投資会社で、経営者は雇われ社長になる。投資会社は再上場するか、転売するかして投資したカネを回収する」（外資系証券幹部）
すかいらーくの場合、ＭＢＯ時の契約で投資会社が社長を退陣させるには、野村とＣＶＣに融資した銀行団の了解を取り付けることが必要。投資会社は了解を取り付けた上で退陣要求したとみられる。対する横川氏は、不振店舗の閉鎖などで業績回復が見込めるとして、銀行団に続投の意向を示しているという。
すかいらーくの例は、ＭＢＯが創業一族や経営陣が会社を支配し続ける方法には必ずしもならないことを物語っている。
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ライバル松下電器と明暗くっきり…ソニーに３つの誤算
４－６月期大幅減益
ソニーと松下電器の２００８年４－６月期決算は明暗がくっきり分かれた。「３つの誤算」で大幅減益に追い込まれたソニー。対する松下は薄型テレビなどが世界的に好調で、最終利益が４－６月期としては２３年ぶりに過去最高を更新した。「ソニー・ショック」と呼ばれた０３年以降の業績悪化から立ち直った同社だが、世界的な消費低迷や原材料価格の高騰など新たな試練に直面している。
「液晶テレビを除くと、北米市場のＡＶ（映像・音響）関連の伸びはマイナスになるだろう」「中国市場も五輪需要を想定していたが、地震の影響もあって想定以下」
「３つの誤算」に見舞われたソニーの大根田伸行ＣＦＯ（最高財務責任者）は２９日の決算説明会で、厳しい環境について語った。
第１の誤算は、本業のエレクトロニクス部門で稼ぎ頭のデジタルカメラ、ビデオカメラ、パソコンが不調だったことだ。これらはテレビやゲームの大赤字をカバーしてきた“優等生”だが、ソニーが得意とする高級機種が伸び悩んで減益となってしまった。
いずれも低価格化が進んでいることが要因。あるソニー関係者は、ビデオカメラの低価格化に拍車をかけているのが「ユーチューブ」などのインターネットの動画共有サイトとみている。欧米を中心に録画した動画のネット投稿が定着し、「画質が粗くても３００ドル（３万円強）程度のビデオカメラで気楽に撮る人が増えている」という。高画質のビデオカメラが主流の日本とは対照的だ。
パソコンはおひざ元の日本で不調。「市場が（低価格の）普及機種に流れている」（大根田ＣＦＯ）ためで、象徴的なのが台湾メーカーの５万円を切るノートパソコンの人気だ。先のソニー関係者は「（こうした低価格機は）あくまで２台目としての需要。ソニーが追随する考えはない」とするが、他社も参入する動きがあるだけに、低価格機の市場がさらに拡大することもありうる。
第２の誤算は携帯電話事業の不振。持ち分法適用会社の英ソニー・エリクソンは高い収益性を誇ってきたが、４－６月期については９７％もの減益となった。ここでも同社が得意な高級機種などが売れず、低価格帯の機種が売れる現象に巻き込まれた。
第３の誤算は原材料価格の高騰だ。コバルトやプラスチックを中心に数百億円の負担増となり、輸送費も１００億円近く増えるという。大根田氏は「予算内に織り込んでいるが、今以上に（原材料価格が）上がると厳しい状況になる」と危機感を募らせる。
ただ、光明がないわけではない。大幅減益となった今回の決算も「想定よりはいい数字」（原直史業務執行役員）。薄型テレビと家庭用ゲーム機「プレイステーション３（ＰＳ３）」では赤字幅が縮小し、今期中の黒字化を見据える。
一方、決算が好調だった松下は、４－６月期の最終利益が同期としては７年連続の増益となり、２３年ぶりに過去最高を更新した。
欧米や中国、アジアなど海外の全地域で２ケタの増収を達成。特に薄型テレビとデジカメが全地域で増収となった。北米市場では、プラズマテレビ中心から、液晶テレビ、デジカメ、ブルーレイ・ディスク（ＤＶＤ）など幅広い商品を展開し、販路も全国規模の量販店中心から地域量販店にまで間口を広げたことが功を奏した。
公式スポンサーを務める北京五輪関連の商戦も「６月中ごろから盛り上がっている」（上野山実取締役）が、９月中間期は五輪後の価格下落の影響などで減益を見込む。
世界経済の不透明感が強まるなか、松下とソニーの盟主争いはますます激しさを増しそうだ。
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痴漢でっちあげ、共犯の女に懲役４年求刑…大阪地裁
大阪市営地下鉄の痴漢でっち上げ事件で、被害者に成り済ました虚偽告訴などの罪に問われた奈良市の無職の女（３１）の公判が３０日、大阪地裁（樋口裕晃裁判官）で開かれ、検察側が懲役４年を求刑し、結審した。判決は８月８日。
論告で検察側は「何の落ち度もない男性を陥れた悪質な犯行で、痴漢の被害申告に影響を及ぼしかねない」と述べた。弁護側は反省しているとして執行猶予付き判決を求めた。
起訴状によると、女は元大学生の男（２４）と共謀。２月１日夜、市営地下鉄天王寺駅の駅長室で堺市の男性会社員（５９）が服の上から体を触ったなどと警察官にうその申告をした。
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司法修習生：就職未定２５％…日弁連調査
日本弁護士連合会が年内に修習を終える司法修習生に実施したアンケートで、弁護士登録を目指しながら就職先が決まっていない修習生が２５％に上り、前年同期のほぼ倍になっていることが分かった。司法試験合格者増に伴う弁護士の就職難を示す結果だ。
アンケートは４～５月に実施し、修習生２３８３人のうち１０４１人が回答を寄せた。弁護士志望で就職先未定は計２６３人。内訳は、修習を９月に終える旧司法試験合格者３１人（合格者の１２％）、１２月に終える新司法試験合格者２３２人（同２９％）だった。前年同時期のアンケートでは就職先未定は全体の１３％だった。
日弁連は「新司法試験合格者が初めて就職した前年は、全国の弁護士事務所に採用を強く働きかけたので、今年は受け入れ幅が少ないと予想していた」と受け止める。今年からホームページで修習生ら向けに求人情報を提供するシステムの運用も始めた。
司法試験合格者数を巡っては、政府が１０年に年間３０００人に増やす方針を示し、法曹人口は現在の約２万９０００人から、１８年には５万人に達すると見込まれている。しかし、日弁連は今月１８日、増員のペースダウンを求める緊急提言を採択した。日弁連は「急増する志望者を吸収する法律事務所の増加には時間の猶予が必要。このままでは実務を通じた弁護士育成が難しく、質の低下が懸念される」と主張している。
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通勤手当不正受給：陸自守山駐屯地の防衛技官を懲戒免に
陸上自衛隊守山駐屯地（名古屋市守山区）は３０日、通勤手当を不正に受給していたとして、男性防衛技官（４８）を同日付で懲戒免職処分にした、と発表した。
同駐屯地によると、技官は自転車で通勤していたにもかかわらず、バス通勤していると届けを出し、５年５カ月の間に計４９万円の通勤手当を不正に受け取った。知人から回数券カードを借りてコピーし、バス通勤の証拠として隊に提出するなどの偽装工作をしていたという。
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英国：全中央官庁が温暖化対策 パソコン小まめにオフなど
英政府はこのほど、中央官庁のパソコンの電源を小まめに切るなど情報関連機器の節電・節約などを通じ、同機器を利用することで排出される温室効果ガスを４年以内に計算上ゼロにし、中央官庁からの同ガスの排出を２割近い年４６万トン削減する地球温暖化対策を打ち出した。
ワトソン内閣府次官は、全中央官庁が情報機器関連の温室効果ガス排出削減に取り組むのは世界初だと指摘。コンピューターの製造と使用は航空産業と同量のガスを排出するとして「真剣な対策が必要だ」と述べた。
計画によると、各官庁はパソコンの電源の入れっぱなしをやめ、業務時間外に電源を自動的に切る仕組みをつくるほか、休日は卓上パソコンの電源を１６時間オフに。これにより、車４万台分の二酸化炭素（ＣＯ２）排出量に相当する年１１万７５００トンを削減できる。
コンピューター製造時には大量のＣＯ２が出るため、古い機種の再利用も進める。さらに温暖化対策事業への投資などで情報関連機器からの排出を相殺。１２年までに計算上、排出量をゼロにする「カーボンニュートラル」の実現を目指す。
英政府は同ガス排出を５０年までに６０％削減（９０年比）する計画を打ち出している。
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4年制私大、ほぼ半数が定員割れ 08年度入試
日本私立学校振興・共済事業団は30日、今春の2008年度入試で、4年制私大の47.1％に当たる266校で入学者数が定員に届かなかったと発表した。定員割れの割合は07年度に比べて7.4ポイント上昇し、過去最高となった。
ほぼ2校に1校が定員割れを起こしている状況。少子化が進む中、志願者が一部の有名校に集中する傾向も続いており、私大の経営環境は一段と厳しさを増している。
調査は全国の私大565校を対象に実施した。08年度の入学定員は総計44万8580人で、前年度比0.8％増えた一方、入学者は逆に1.4％減って47万7918人だった。この結果、入学者を定員で割った「定員充足率」は106.5％と2.4ポイント低下した。
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私大の４７％定員割れ ２６６校に達する 半数未満は２９校に (1/2ページ)
2008.7.30 19:08
今春の入学者数が定員を下回る「定員割れ」となった私立４年制大学が全体の４７・１％の２６６校に達したことが３０日、日本私立学校振興・共済事業団の調査で分かった。前年度より４４校（７・４ポイント）増え、過去最悪の数字を大幅に更新した。定員の半分を下回る危機的な学校は１２校増の２９校に上っており、地方の小規模大学を中心に、経営難が深刻化している状況が浮き彫りになった。
調査は通信教育部のみの学校や株式会社立の学校を除く４年制大５６５校、短大３６０校を対象とした。
調査結果によると、少子化で１８歳人口は１２４万人と前年度より６万人減少しているが、私立４年制大学数は５６５校と６校増加。総志願者数は３０６万２８２５人で、３万９１３８人（１・３％）増えた。だが、人気は都市部の大学に集中したため、全体の底上げにはつながらず、定員割れの大学は２６６校と半数近くに達した。このうち、定員の半分も満たせず、補助金が出ない危機的な大学は２９校で、全体の５・４％を占めた。
学生数の規模や地域における人気の格差は拡大している。定員８００人以上の大学の総志願者数が約６万７０００人増えた一方で、８００人未満は約２万８０００人減り、大規模な大学に人気が集中する傾向が浮き彫りになった。地域別にみると、定員に占める入学者の割合を示す「定員充足率」が１１０％を超えたのは東京のみ。北海道、北関東、甲信越、北陸、中国、四国、九州の７地域は１００％を割った。
首都圏の大規模大学が『地方会場入試』や『全学統一入試』などの入試改革で受験生の囲い込みを始めている影響で、「地方より大都市部」「小規模大学より大規模大学」という人気の二極化傾向に拍車がかかっている。
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東京医科大：学長不在…文科省が行政指導
東京医科大（東京都新宿区）が２年間、学長を置かず、学校教育法に違反しているとして、文部科学省が口頭で行政指導していたことが分かった。指導は２９日付。文科省は「長期にわたって最高責任者がいない状態は不適切」と判断。大学側は「早急に正式な学長を選任したい」と話している。
学校教育法は「大学には学長を置かなければならない」と定めているが、伊東洋理事長が０６年８月末に学長を任期満了で退任して以来、不在が続いており、当時の副学長が職務代理をしている。
文科省によると、大学側は「教授会で推薦が決まらなかったり、理事会で推薦通りに決まらないなどの事態が続いている」などと説明している。
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41教委が採用透明化策 大分の汚職受け、基準の公表増加
教員採用権限を持つ47都道府県と17政令市の教育委員会のうち、41の教育委員会が採用の透明化や不正防止に向けた対策を決めたことが29日、文部科学省の調査で分かった。29教委が新たに不正防止策に取り組む。文科省は「まだ改善の余地がある」として、8月下旬をめどに再調査する。調査過程で金銭の授受など新たに判明した不正行為はなかったという。
大分県の教員汚職事件を受け、調査は10日から25日にかけて実施した。
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18:49 GMT, Tuesday, 29 July 2008 19:49 UK
'Laser jumbo' testing moves ahead
ABL (Bob Ferguson)
A US military plane equipped with a powerful laser has moved a step closer to becoming a viable weapon.
Engineers have started flowing chemical fuel through the laser to test its sequencing and control.
This will set up the first test firing of the weapon aboard the aircraft while it is on the ground.
The US Air Force's Airborne Laser (ABL) is designed to shoot down enemy ballistic missiles in the early stages of their flight.
"The Airborne Laser team has done a great job preparing the high-energy laser for these fuel tests, which will lead the way toward achieving 'first light' of the laser aboard the aircraft," said Mike Rinn, vice president of Boeing, which is prime contractor on the project.
"Once again, we made and demonstrated enormous progress toward ushering in a new age of directed-energy weapons."
Airborne intercept
The ABL illuminates the missile with a laser tracking beam, while computers measure its distance and calculate its course and direction.
After acquiring and locking onto the target, a second, high-power laser fires a three-to-five-second burst from a turret located in the 747's nose.
The beam heats up the pressurised fuel tank of the outbound missile and causes it to rupture, destroying the missile. Turret ball (Boeing)
The high-energy weapon is a Chemical Oxygen Iodine Laser (COIL) capable of producing megawatts of power.
Built by defence giant Northrop Grumman, it is designed to destroy "all classes" of ballistic missiles, including tactical ballistic missiles (TBMs) and intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs).
Its fuel consists of chemicals found in hair bleach and drain cleaner - hydrogen peroxide and potassium hydroxide - which are then combined with chlorine gas and water.
The COIL is housed in the back half of the 747. The aircraft's front half contains the beam control/fire control system, developed by Lockheed Martin, and the battle management system, built by Boeing.
Pros and cons
After the laser has undergone a series of test firings on the ground, the entire system will be flown to carry out functional check-outs.
The first airborne intercept of an in-flight ballistic missile is planned for 2009.
Destroying ballistic missiles during their boost phase - while their rockets are firing - carries several advantages.
The bright, hot rocket exhaust aids detection, discrimination and targeting of the missile. And it is much more difficult to use countermeasures, such as decoys, during this phase of flight. Beam control system (Boeing)
The wreckage will usually land in enemy territory, although collateral damage in surrounding countries could be a concern.
However, it may be difficult to position the intercept weapon - in this case the aircraft - to shoot down the missiles. There is also limited time in which to destroy the missile in this early stage of flight.
The ABL's range is limited by the distance its beam can propagate through the atmosphere and remain focused.
This is affected by atmospheric conditions, turbulence (changes in air density as the result of heating and cooling), humidity, clouds and the time of day.
According to an American Physical Society report in 2004, the Airborne Laser could shoot down a typical
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ビール瓶で県会議長殴り建設業協会理事逮捕
2008.7.28 05:02
愛媛県警宇和島署は２７日、結婚披露宴で県議会の清家俊蔵議長（５９）＝自民党＝を殴ったとして、傷害容疑で同県宇和島市川内、県建設業協会理事、浅田毅容疑者（７４）を逮捕した。
調べなどによると、披露宴は宇和島市内の結婚式場で２６日午後４時から約２８０人が出席して開かれた。浅田容疑者は６時すぎ、清家議長にビールをつぎに行き、話の途中でいきなり相手の左側頭部をそのビール瓶で殴打。全治１週間～１０日の軽傷（裂傷）を負わせた疑いが持たれている。式場内は騒然となった。
清家議長によると、浅田容疑者が「次期衆院選で支持政党を民主党に変えたい」と話し、「今後親しくできない」と答えたところ、殴られた。
２人は顔見知り。浅田容疑者は酒を飲んでおり、調べに「殴ったのは間違いないが、理由はいわん」と供述している。
清家議長は当選５期目。今年３月、議長に就任した。関係者によると、事件の当事者２人は新郎側来賓だという。
愛媛県は衆院全４選挙区を自民党が占める保守王国だが、宇和島市を含む４区は自民現職と民主新人、保守系無所属新人の計３人がすでに次期衆院選出馬を表明。激戦が予想されている。
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外務官僚、ホテル代１５００万“踏み倒し” セミスイートに３００日宿泊 (1/2ページ)
2008.7.30 17:10
外務省経済局の男性官僚（４０）が、都内のホテルの宿泊代１５００万円以上を支払わず、ホテル側とトラブルになっていることが３０日、関係者の話で分かった。ホテル側は刑事告訴や民事訴訟を検討しているという。この官僚は産経新聞の取材に、「確かに支払いはしていない」などと事実関係を認めた。外務省では以前、ホテル代の水増し請求事件などで職員が逮捕されており、再び外務官僚の“たかり体質”の一端が浮かんだ。
複数の関係者によると、この官僚は平成１８年６月から１９年４月までの２９３日間、該当のホテルのセミスイートルームに宿泊。１泊の料金は５万２５００円で、合計で約１５３８万円の債務が生じたが、現在まで全く支払われていない。
官僚は家庭の事情で都内の自宅を出た後、知人の紹介などがあってホテル宿泊を始め、そこから東京・霞が関の外務省に出勤していた。１９年４月以降は官舎に移り住んでいるという。
ホテル側はこれまで再三にわたって支払いを求めたが、応じる気配がないとして、今年７月に請求書を送付。官僚は数日後にホテルに出向き、謝罪文を示したという。
この謝罪文では「極めて礼節を欠いた不義理を働いたことにつき、一人の人間として本当に恥じ入るばかりであり、申し開きのことばもございません」としながら、「今の自分にはとても支払い能力はございません。せめて金額を一般客室料金×宿泊日数としてお支払いさせていただくことでご検討頂けないでしょうか」と“割り引き”を求めている。
だが、ホテル側は「これまで誠意ある態度が一切みられなかった」と納得しておらず、官僚に対し刑事・民事両面での措置を検討しているという。
官僚は産経新聞の取材に、「宿泊したことや料金を支払っていないのは事実で、金額については先方とお話させていただきたい。もちろん払う意志はあり、誠意は尽くすつもり」などと話している。
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暴力団元幹部が撃たれ死亡 福岡・須恵の路上
2008年7月30日18時43分
３０日午後４時５７分ごろ、福岡県須恵町上須恵の路上で、男性が銃で撃たれたと、目撃者から１１０番通報があった。県警によると、撃たれたのは、北九州市に本拠を置く指定暴力団工藤会の元幹部の篠崎一雄さん（６６）。病院に運ばれたが、間もなく死亡が確認された。県警は、現場付近で拳銃を持っていた男（４０）の身柄を確保し、現場から車で逃げた数人の行方を追っている。現場は篠崎さんの自宅近くで、付近には中学校や図書館などがある。
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市役所内で男性刺され重傷 埼玉・新座
2008年7月30日13時20分
３０日午前１０時５０分ごろ、埼玉県新座市役所から「市役所の中で人が刺された」と１１０番通報があった。新座署員が駆けつけたところ、男性（４２）が背中や腹など数カ所を刃物で刺されていて、病院に運ばれた。重傷という。同署は、被害者の知人の同市野火止５丁目、無職倉成吉宣（よしのぶ）容疑者（５１）を殺人未遂の疑いで現行犯逮捕した。
同署や市などによると、男性は市役所１階の生活福祉課の相談室を訪ねていた。午前１０時４５分ごろ、同課の係長と男性が話していたところ、倉成容疑者がいきなり、背後から近づき、切りつけてきたという。
２人がもみ合いになったため、係長が「１１０番を早くしろ」と叫び、職員の女性が「やめて下さい」と何回も大声を出していたという。男性は数回刺された後、血まみれになって、床に倒れていた。
倉成容疑者は刺した後、逃げることなく、近くの通路にいて、駆けつけた警察官に取り押さえられた。
市生活福祉課などによると、現場となった相談室は、主に生活保護などの説明に使っている。予約制で当時、他の相談者はいなかったが、数人の市民が近くにいたという。倉成容疑者の「この野郎」という大きな叫び声に一時、騒然となったという。
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900-kilometer high-speed fiber optic cable laid between Russia, Japan
27.07.2008, 18.42
TOKYO, July 27 (Itar-Tass) -- Japan’s KDDI and Russia’s Rostelecom have laid a high-speed fiber optic cable across the Sea of Japan (East Sea), NHK channel said on Sunday.
Two 900-kilometer lines were laid down between the Japanese city of Joetsu (Niigata perfection) and the Russian city of Nakhodka. They are capable of transmitting 640 gigabit per second.
The commercial operation of the new telecom line will start this September. The channel said that the new line might intensify bilateral financial operations.
Another undersea fiber optical cable was launched on June 3 between Nevelsk and Ishikari, Hokkaido. That was a project of NTT Communications and TransTelecom and the first direct telecom line between Russia and Japan.
The number of Japanese businesses in Russia has tripled over the past three years. JETRO said that 169 companies had offices in Moscow at the end of last year. However, they had to maintain contact with their headquarters via the United States, in the absence of a direct telecom line.
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USA lures poverty-stricken Nicaragua with medical equipment in return to Russian missile systems
29.07.2008 Source: Pravda.Ru URL: http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/105917-nicaragua-0
The US administration offered Nicaragua to exchange 657 Russian man-portable, shoulder-fired surface-to-air missile systems to medical equipment for the nation’s healthcare system, RIA Novosti reports with reference to Nicaraguan TV channel Canal 8. The amount of the transaction has not been exposed yet.
“The US government put forward a suggestion to the Nicaraguan administration to deliver medical equipment in exchange to 657 Strela-2 Russian-made missile systems. I hope that we will sign an adequate agreement in the nearest future,” the US Ambassador to Nicaragua, Paul Trivelli said in a statement.
The Nicaraguan Army currently uses 1,000 Strela-2 systems, which the country purchased from the USSR during the 1980s. About 400 of those systems will be left at Nicaraguan army storage facilities in the event the nation decides to sign the deal with the USA.
It is worthy of note that the USA has repurchased over 22,000 man-portable, shoulder-fired missile complexes in different countries of the world over the recent several years. The Pentagon says that the USA conducts such policy not to let various terrorist groups take possession of the complexes.
The 9K32 "Strela-2" (NATO reporting name SA-7 Grail) is a man-portable, shoulder-fired, low-altitude surface-to-air missile system with a high explosive warhead and passive infrared homing guidance. It is broadly comparable to the US Army FIM-43 Redeye. It was the first generation of Soviet man portable SAMs, entering service in 1968, with series production starting in 1970.
The 9K32M "Strela-2M" (NATO reporting name SA-7b "Grail" Mod 1) was introduced in 1971 and featured a number of improvements, increasing both its range and the size of its warhead.
The SA-7 is a tail-chase missile system and its effectiveness depends on its ability to lock onto the heat source of low-flying fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. The missile's simple infra-red seeker mechanism is easily overwhelmed by simple countermeasures like flares, and pulsing "hot brick" jammers, and even environmental effects like infra-red reflections from clouds.
The Strela-2 has a small directed-energy blast fragmentation warhead with impact and grazing fuzes. The impact fuze detonates the warhead immediately upon impact, while the grazing fuze reacts to the slightest bending of the missile fuselage. The warhead weighs 1,1kg, including 370g HE content in a pre-fragmented casing.
The small warhead had the drawback of low kill probability against jet, and especially multi-engine targets; as the missile homed in on the hottest spot, it typically hit only the afterburner nozzles, and due to the small size and instantaneous fuzing was not unusual that it failed to destroy even the engine that was hit. Although the basic warhead design remained the same in all Soviet MANPADS from Strela-2/2M through Strela-3 and Igla-1 to the final Igla, the later missiles had much-improved lethality with little extra warhead weight due to better terminal homing aimed at hitting the aircraft fuselage, delayed fusing allowing the missile to penetrate into the target before detonation, and in later variants also a 20g secondary charge to set off remaining rocket fuel.
Despite its shortcomings in range and lethality the Strela-2 did force enemy pilots to fly higher, into the engagement envelope of more capable air defence systems. In addition, in several cases it has forced enemy pilots to adopt higher altitude bombing tactics, which degraded the accuracy and usefulness of air strikes.
The maximum range and altitude of these missiles were consistently underestimated in the West. For example, although an altitude limit of 1,500' was widely quoted, an SA-7 hit an Omani jet (in 1974) at 11,500 feet.
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Russia to USA: 'Don’t tell us whom we should be friends with and whom we should sleep with'
29.07.2008 Source: Pravda.Ru URL: http://english.pravda.ru/russia/kremlin/105928-russia_usa-0
Relations between Moscow and Washington may seriously aggravate after the presidential election in the United States. Furthermore, an anonymous source at Russia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said that the relations between the two countries may virtually come to nothing, Interfax reports.
“We are ready for any development of the situation,” a source from the ministry told reporters Tuesday. The source added that Moscow may afford not to maintain relations with any partners, if the latter desire so.
The above was the reaction of the anonymous source from the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Russia to recent remarks from Republican John McCain, who stated that the USA must take a tougher stance on Russia and exclude the country from the Group of Eight.
The source also said that the USA had put its relations with Russia to test.
“Everything is fine until we are told how we should behave, whom we should be friends with, whom we should sleep with and whom we should turn out of doors. At the end of the day, we are not going to baptize children with them, we have others whom we can communicate with,” an anonymous Russian diplomat said.
Russia does not exclude that Moscow may stop conducting negotiations with the USA regarding the questions, which Washington is particularly interested in, ITAR-TASS reports with reference to the unnamed source at Russia’s Foreign Ministry.
“We can reach the point when we can end discussions of the questions, which America is interested in,” the official said.
The Russian administration believes that the United States may soon suffer from a serious political crisis, the diplomat believes.
“America is standing on the verge of a large-scale crisis of its own existence,” the source said. “They will first need to learn how to live within means,” the Russian diplomat said.
“We are not enemies with the United States, and unfortunately, we have not become friends either. However, we depend on each other a lot less than we did before,” the diplomat added.
Russia has problems with the American government, not with the American nation, the official pointed out. “We have problems with American ideologists who impose such foreign politics of the United States,” he said.
As for the forthcoming presidential election in the USA and the development of further relations with Russia, the source said that Moscow was ready for any development of the situation.
“McCain needs to become the president first so that we could start listening to what he says. The same refers to the second runoff, Obama,” the official said.
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Antarctic penguins invade sunny beaches of Brazil
29.07.2008 Source: Pravda.Ru URL: http://english.pravda.ru/science/earth/105929-penguins-0
Penguins that were previously spotted in Brazil’s southern waters can now be seen in the north-east of the Latin American nation, RIA Novosti reports.
Holiday-makers have spotted dozens of these Antarctic birds in subequatorial waters of north-eastern Brazilian states of Bahia and Sergipe. Biologists say that it was the record northward movement of penguins.
Click here to see the video of penguins on Brazilian beaches.
Scientists believe that global warming can be the most probable explanation to this unusual phenomenon. Antarctic ice continues to melt, whereas the cold-water Falkland Current along the Atlantic coast of South America intensifies.
The birds inhabiting Antarctica and Patagonia have to swim too far searching for food at sea mainly because of excessive fishing. They find themselves trapped in strong ocean currents that eventually carry them to sunny beaches of Brazil.
The Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA) said that the invasion of penguins in Brazil had resulted in the appearance of illegal businesses to sell the exotic birds. The price of one baby penguin may reach up to 500 Brazilian reals ($318) on the black market.
Many local residents attempt to take penguins home and tame them, although specialists recommend not to feed or wash the birds at home. They recommend to ask for professional aid for the majority of penguins reach Brazilian beaches exhausted, hungry and extremely weak, having overcome the distance of up to 5,000 kilometers in cold waters.
Specialists say that hundreds of dead baby penguins have been beached in Brazil over the recent two months. The birds die because of water pollution, ecologists believe.
The word Penguin is thought by some to derive from the Welsh words pen (head) and gwyn (white), applied to the Great Auk which had white spots in front of its eyes (although its head was black); or from an island off Newfoundland known as Pengwyn, due to its having a large white rock. (In the latter case, the name may also have come from Breton.) This theory is supported by the fact that penguins look remarkably like Great Auks in general shape.
It is also possible that penguin comes from the Latin pinguis, “fat”. This is supported by the fact that the corresponding words in most other languages (e.g., French pingouin, German Pinguin) have ‘i’ instead of ‘e’ as the first vowel. However, a Welsh ‘i’ is often sound-shifted to an ‘e’ in the English language.’
Another theory states that the word is an alteration of “pen-wing”, with reference to the rudimentary wings of both Great Auks and penguins, but there is no evidence to support this.
What may be a King Penguin but certainly is a member of the Spheniscidae appears on a 1599 map at the Strait of Magellan with the caption "Pinguyn". The map's features are labeled in Latin, such as Fretum Magellanicum ("Strait of Magellan"). In addition, there is ample evidence that the Latin term anser magellanicus ("Goose of Magellan" or "Magellanic Goose") was the usual term for penguins in the scholarly literature of that time. If the English word was derived from Latin – e.g. avis pinguis ("fat bird") or pinguinus ("the fat one" – it must have originated considerably earlier than 1600.
In a final twist to the story, the term "Magellanic Goose" (today usually "Magellan Goose") in our time has come to denote an actual anseriform, namely a Chloephaga sheldgoose.
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How to gain profit on US economic crisis
29.07.2008 Source: URL: http://english.pravda.ru/business/finance/105916-us_economic_crisis-0
Gas prices are high; the real estate market isn’t good, stocks are down, and many banks are in a mess. The media keeps drilling it into our heads like we had no idea.
Despite their negativity this may actually be an excellent time to better your life and the lives of those around you. Tough times are some of the best times for people to become resourceful, innovative, and make positive changes.
Here are the ways you can take advantage of this “terrible” economy.
1. Buy foreclosures and invest in real estate
It’s a buyer’s market for sure. You don’t want to look back in ten years from now and have a “shoulda, coulda, woulda” moment. Even if prices aren’t low in your area, explore different towns and states for commercial locations and empty lots. Even if you don’t have the resources and funds to develop right now, stake your claim while you can.
2. Invest in green technology
High oil prices are igniting interest in alternative fuels and green technology. If you’re active in the stock markets, perhaps you should consider doing some research on emerging green companies. If you’re not an active trader, another way to invest is to explore purchasing a hybrid or electric car. It might be costly now, but in a few years you’ll be happy.
3. Start a company
Sure, there are a lot of companies shutting down but this maybe the right time to start a company up. Here are some tips to think about if you want to launch a start up:
- Look for an industry or market with a large number of businesses closing. Are the big competitors shutting down? If so, you’ll have less competition.
- Research the reason why they closed.
- Find a solution and an opportunity in what they did wrong.
- Many of the companies shutting down are large corporations. So one of the best things going for you is being small but thinking big.
4. Switch careers
I know exactly what you’re thinking or even saying right now, “well there are no jobs, and my job’s safe.” Is it really though? Do you like what you do? Is there a long commute? And many expenses? You must ask yourself questions like these. Wouldn’t you rather be your own boss? Or have a job that you enjoy so much you don’t care what you get paid or what it costs you to get there?
5. Move somewhere you’ve always wanted to
A location or town you’ve dreamed about living in might be at its most affordable right now. Seize this window of opportunity to make a big change.
Click here to read the full text of the article
Source: Lyved.Com
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