２回値上げの山崎製パン→営業利益３割アップの１４０億円

２回値上げの山崎製パン→営業利益３割アップの１４０億円

　山崎製パンが１日発表した２００８年６月連結中間決算は、売上高が前年同期比４．４％増の３９９１億円、本業のもうけを示す営業利益は３２％増の１４０億円と増収増益となった。

　０７年１２月と今年５月のパンや菓子の値上げが収益を押し上げた。通常の半分の大きさの食パンなど販売価格を抑えた商品が好調だった。

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山崎製パン社長、パン値上げを表明　秋の麦価改定で

　政府の小麦売り渡し価格（麦価）が10月に2割前後上がる公算が大きくなっているが、山崎製パンの飯島延浩社長は1日、「価格に手をつけずにはいられない」と述べ、パンの値上げに踏み切る考えを示した。小麦粉製品を扱う食品メーカーが、今秋以降の麦価改定に伴う値上げに言及するのは初めて。

　値上げは昨年12月、今年5月に続き3回目。早ければ年内にも踏み切る見通し。製パン最大手が再々値上げすれば、パン、めん、菓子各社が追随する可能性が高い。

　飯島社長は2008年6月中間期決算発表の席上で表明した。麦価の上げ幅が「1割でも（据え置きは）なかなか難しい」と指摘。2割前後上がった場合は、値上げは避けられないとの考えを示した。小麦粉価格の高騰で、同社のコスト増は今年に入り月間16億円程度となっている。

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Glut forces cuts in London rentals

By Sharlene Goff and Elaine Moore

Published: August 1 2008 21:19 | Last updated: August 1 2008 21:19

Rents across London have started to fall by as much as 20 per cent as a glut of supply forces landlords to cut prices.

After a year of strong growth, rents on properties ranging from family houses in Kensington to two-bedroom apartments in Canary Wharf are now being slashed by hundreds of pounds a week, according to estate agents.

The owner of a house in Chelsea, which was let last year for £2,700 a week, was now taking offers of more than £2,000, said Tim Hyatt, head of lettings at Knight Frank.

Riverside apartments that were being let for up to £1,500 a week this time last year were now going for about £1,200.

“We have noticed a huge increase in stock in the last three to four months,” said Mr Hyatt. “While inquiries have only increased marginally.”

Rents were coming down fastest on properties presented in less than immaculate condition, or located slightly further from the Tube.

Average UK rents, which had been rising rapidly, have now stabilised just short of £1,000 a month, according to Paragon Mortgages.

Estate agents said tenant demand had not risen in proportion with the increase in rental properties.

While rents in parts of the UK continue to rise, the picture is very different in prime areas of London.

Knight Frank said rents in the capital were down between 5 and 20 per cent compared with the spring, while Savills, another estate agent, said some rents had fallen about 10 per cent.

The slide comes as so-called reluctant landlords – owners who have been unable to sell their properties and let them out instead – have put pressure on rental prices. Agents are also reporting a decline in demand from corporate tenants.

Some agents have reported double the amount of rental stock on their books compared with a year ago.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors said new landlord instructions rose by almost a third in the first three months of the year.

Properties in Knight Frank’s core lettings market of between £1,000 and £2,000 per week were letting fast, for close to the asking prices. But some family houses in prime areas such as Chelsea and Knightbridge have taken a big hit.

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China unveils emergency pollution plans

By Jamil Anderlini in Langfang, Hebei and Mure Dickie in Beijing

Published: July 31 2008 05:30 | Last updated: July 31 2008 23:37

Beijing on Thursday unveiled emergency contingency plans in an effort to rebuild confidence in its ability to ensure clean air for the Olympic Games that open next week.

The back-up plans include the banning of up to 90 per cent of cars from the capital’s roads and closures of more than 100 factories around the city, and highlight continuing concerns about air pollution despite years of official reassurance.

Under the plans, to be imposed if “extremely unfavourable atmospheric conditions” look likely to push air pollution to hazardous levels, 61 polluting factories in neighbouring Hebei province would also be shuttered and cars permitted on the roads only every second day.

Guo Jun, deputy director of the environmental protection bureau in the Hebei city of Langfang, said it was ready to shut 40 cement and vehicle repair plants out of the about 7,000 factories under its jurisdiction. Some Langfang factories have already closed under existing temporary measures that officials have enforced by simply shutting off their power.

In nearby Tianjin city, 56 chemical, heating and manufacturing plants were listed for potential closure, the Ministry of Environmental Protection said.

Weighing the likely efficacy of the plans is difficult, since officials did not say what proportion of regional emissions or industrial activity was affected and much of Beijing pollution comes from much further afield.

Air quality is also subject to complex interplays of pollution and weather, with recent windy and rainy days offering dramatic – though temporary relief – from choking smogs. China last month imposed limits on industrial activity and traffic in the capital and surrounding regions, but despite the reduction in pollution emissions, air quality in the capital has repeatedly failed to meet official standards.

Beijing’s standards have been criticised for not including important health threats such as ozone or fine particulates and for appearing vulnerable to manipulation.

Critics also cite widespread though subjective impressions that officially low-pollution “blue-sky days” are often memorable more for acrid grey smogs.

However, the games-time measures have already affected many businesses in Beijing and its environs.

On Beijing’s outskirts some small construction material vendors were on Thursday defying government orders to shut up shop – but said they had no customers anyway because of a ban on heavy haulage.

“We are losing so much money at the moment but what can we do? It’s worth it for our country to hold the Olympics,” said Tan Yuqin, a migrant worker. The Yanxing cement factory has been virtually deserted since June, when workers were sent home on reduced pay.

Censorship

The head of the International Olympic Committee’s press commission on Thursday suggested its president Jacques Rogge might have acquiesced to Chinese plans to censor the media’s internet access during the Beijing games reports AP in Beijing.

”I would be surprised if someone made a change without at least informing” Mr Rogge, Kevan Gosper said. “But I really do not know the detail.” Mr Rogge on Thursday declined to comment in Beijing.

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China investors allowed to buy Taiwan stocks

TAIPEI, July 31 - Taiwan’s cabinet said on Thursday it would allow China’s institutional investors to buy into the island’s stock market, in a sign of improving business ties on both sides.

The cabinet said in a statement that China’s qualified domestic institutional investors (QDII) would be able to invest up to 3 percent of their approved funds under arrangement.

The cabinet set a cap of $1.125 billion for all the combined investments by Chinese institutional investors.

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Gold Fields considering sale of mines

By Rebecca Bream in London

Published: August 1 2008 20:27 | Last updated: August 1 2008 20:27

Gold Fields, the South African gold miner, set out a new strategy on Friday that could involve selling some of its mines and moving its headquarters away from Johannesburg.

Nick Holland, the group’s new chief executive, said that in order to help boost its flagging share price, he would highlight the strength of Gold Fields’ operations around the world and demonstrate that it was not purely a South African company.

“We are trying to create a global company where one region does not dominate,” said Mr Holland. He plans to restructure Gold Fields into four divisions covering South Africa, west Africa, South America and Australasia, with more decisions being made locally. This would enable Gold Fields to cut head office jobs and reduce its costs, he said.

Gold Fields produced 3.64m ounces of gold in the past year and Mr Holland pledged to increase annual production to 5m ounces within three years.

He said that this would be done through expanding existing projects such as Cerro Corona in Peru and possibly making acquisitions. “I’d rather do most of it organically as the price for acquisitions is crazy. There are two acquisitions I could have done in recent months but I rejected them because of the price.”

Mr Holland said his priority was to improve Gold Fields’ share price, which has performed badly this year because of worries about rising mining costs and South African power shortages.

“We are trading at a big discount and what I’ve got to do is work out how to release that discount.” He said this would include selling mines if they were not being fully valued by the market.

But Mr Holland denied that he was getting ready to sell the company. “I don’t think we would put the company up for sale at this price, it would be a steal.”

Mr Holland said that Gold Fields would consider relocating its headquarters if its business shifted to other regions of the world.

“For the moment we will remain in South Africa but that could change over time. Eighty per cent of our shareholders are outside South Africa, and if the portfolio moves away from South Africa the headquarters could move,” he added.

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High oil prices boost Saudi foreign assets
Assets controlled by the Saudi Central Bank swelled to a record Dh1.45trn at the end of June (AFP)

Staff Writer on 7/31/2008

Strong oil prices boosted Saudi Arabia's foreign assets by more than SAR200 billion in the first half of this year as the world's oil superpower heads for its best fiscal year.

Official figures showed the assets controlled by the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority (Sama), the Gulf Kingdom's Central Bank, swelled to a record SAR1.46 trillion (Dh1.45 trillion) at the end of June, compared with nearly SAR1.26 trillion (Dh1.25 trillion) at the end of 2007, an increase of around SAR205 billion (Dh202.9 billion).

The assets at the end of June were more than SAR500 billion higher than their level at the end of June 2007 and nearly seven times the assets six years ago.

The figures published in Sama's monthly bulletin showed the bulk of the assets were investments in foreign securities, which hit a record SAR1.11 trillion (Dh1.102 trillion) at the end of June compared with SAR806.7 billion (Dh798.7 billion) at the end of 2007, an increase of nearly SAR208 billion.

The increase was at the expense of Sama's deposits with banks abroad, which dived to around SAR200.8 billion (Dh198.8 billion) at the end of last June from SAR298.6 billion (Dh295.6 billion) at the end of 2007, the report showed.

Saudi bankers said Sama had cut its deposits because of lower interest rates and higher return from securities, mainly in the US.

Before a spate of interest rate cuts by the US Fed to stimulate the country's slackening economy in late 2007 and through the first half of 2008, Sama's deposits with banks abroad had doubled from SAR123.3 billion (Dh122 billion) at the end of 2006 to SAR246.7 billion (Dh244 billion) at the end of 2007. They were then slashed to SAR66 billion in June last year before they were replenished again in the following months.

"This is a normal practice by Sama and other government institutions in the Gulf as they always seek high return and try to diversify their sources of investments and income," said Malik Yunus, an economist at the Saudi National Commercial Bank.

Like other Gulf oil producers, Saudi Arabia is basking in a financial euphoria similar to the first oil boom of 1970s and early 1980s, when its fiscal balance was surfeit with heavy surpluses and its economy was galloping by double-digit growth rates.

Its official foreign exchange reserves with the International Monetary Fund also climbed to one of their highest levels of around $34 billion at the end of June while its current account surplus is projected to peak at nearly $105 billion this year.

In 2007, Saudi Arabia's income from nearly nine million barrels per day of oil exports soared to an all time high of $194 billion and the revenues are forecast to exceed $350 billion this year. First half income was estimated at $192 billion for an average price of Saudi crude of nearly $105 a barrel compared with around $70 last year.

Preliminary forecasts by the Riyadh-based Jadwa Investment company showed the Kingdom's budget surplus could swell to SAR277 billion (Dh274 billion) this year, far higher than the SAR179 billion surplus recorded last year.

"These forecasts were produced more than two months ago and they are still preliminary," a Jadwa source said. "There will be revised figures later this year and am sure the budget surplus will be far bigger than we had expected."

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Long view: Jim Cramer’s TV outburst that will last for ages

By John Authers, Investment Editor

Published: August 1 2008 20:51 | Last updated: August 1 2008 20:51

Cramer Day is upon us. This weekend marks the anniversary of former hedge fund manager Jim Cramer’s outburst on CNBC that the Federal Reserve was “asleep” and that there was “Armageddon” in the fixed income markets.

It was possibly the most entertaining five minutes of financial television ever broadcast. Those who do not work in a Wall Street trading room and have not watched the excerpt repeatedly over the past year, can watch it on YouTube (search for Cramer, Bernanke and Burnett) where it is a popular view.

Even for those not amused by the sight of Cramer losing his cool on live television, the incident has significance.

The outburst signalled for the first time to the general public in the US that the largely technical problems for the credit market could have serious repercussions for them.

A week later, continental Europe woke up to the problems in the money markets when BNP Paribas halted redemptions on money market funds and the European Central Bank intervened. By the end of the month, the UK had its first bank run in more than a century as Northern Rock fell victim to frozen money markets.

Reviewing the rant, we can see it set the template for all that followed.

First, Cramer’s main point was to get the Federal Reserve to do something. He wanted them both to cut the rates (“It’s all about the rate,” he repeated) and to “open the discount window” – lending directly to the banks, at a high rate, to “relieve the pressure”.

In the event, the Fed has done both – amid increasing concern that it should instead have opted for one or the other. Only this week the Fed, and other banks, announced that “emergency” lending facilities to bolster the money markets would stay in force until January.

Many believe these measures on their own would have been enough to counter the “Armageddon” in the money markets. This was the approach taken by the ECB, and European financial conditions have not deteriorated any more severely than those in the US. By cutting rates sharply as well, it could be argued, the Fed unleashed a flow of cash into commodities, creating what looks like a new “bubble” in oil prices. Even if that bubble is now deflating, this has caused great fear and may yet cause much economic pain.

Second, he implicitly took a strong stance on the issue of “moral hazard” – the theory that insurance, particularly when offered for free by governments, will encourage excessive risk-taking, and so bailouts should be avoided.

He was angered by the way “my people” – friends in Wall Street – were hurting, that the Fed had “no idea” how bad things were, and that Ben Bernanke was “behaving like an academic”. Moral hazard, in other words, should be put aside as the crisis was so severe.

In particular, he branded William Poole, then the head of the St Louis Fed, as “shameful”. Poole had gone public with comments that “punishment” had been “meted out to those who have done misdeeds and made bad judgments”.

The US authorities seem to have come down on the side of swallowing their concerns about moral hazard. There has been a repeating pattern of a crisis every few months, usually focusing on trouble at a single institution. Every time equity volatility, as measured by the CBOE’s Vix index, has topped 30, there has been a response from the authorities, either rate cuts, or the Bear Stearns fire sale (which inflicted pain on shareholders), or emergency loans for the mortgage agencies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Finally, Cramer wanted to pin the blame on Alan Greenspan, who had left the Federal Reserve with an impeccable reputation early in 2006. He pointed out, correctly, that Greenspan had encouraged borrowers to take out mortgages at low “teaser” rates and then proceeded to raise rates.

Those comments have become the new orthodoxy. The easy money with which the Greenspan Fed responded to the bursting of the tech bubble at the beginning of this decade is now deemed a mistake.

Finally, it is fascinating to see what prompted the rant. Wall Street was having a bad afternoon and that was because Bear Stearns executives, on a conference call, had said conditions in bond markets were the worst in 22 years.

“Keep your mouth shut during a period like this because you’re going to say something that people don’t like,” advised Cramer.

No wonder Bear Stearns found itself without friends when its crisis of confidence came seven months later.

Finally, he revealed at the end that he had been planning to suggest that viewers might invest in Washington Mutual, a big mortgage bank, to take advantage of the high yield, but “I’m just too old”.

It was just as well that he did this as WaMu turned out to be a “value trap”. If it looked cheap a year ago, it is cheaper now. Its shares have fallen 85 per cent in the interim.

This was the first crisis to afflict the YouTube generation. The “Rant That Shook The World” as CNBC called it, will be an important item in financial history years from now.

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JPMorgan to quit City for Canary Wharf

By Daniel Thomas, Property Correspondent

Published: August 2 2008 03:00 | Last updated: August 2 2008 03:00

JPMorgan is to move its European headquarters from the City to Canary Wharf after a surprising change of heart about the location of its future home.

The investment bank had looked set to stay in the Square Mile after accepting a deal last year for a new tower to be built on the site of the existing St Alphage House, but yesterday told City officials that it was terminating discussions in favour of a move to Canary Wharf.

The decision has come as a shock to City officials, who are already facing the prospect of increasing vacancies in the financial district as the economic slowdown causes corporate occupiers to cut staff and reduce the amount of space needed.

JPMorgan has entered into exclusive talks and agreed terms to occupy a building of about 1m sq ft at Canary Wharf's Riverside South development. This will allow JPMorgan to consolidate employees from several existing buildings in the City and will provide accommodation for future growth.

The terms of the deal were not revealed but JPMorgan is expected to have the option to own, or part own, its new headquarters.

The deal is also likely to include some provision for the new Bear Stearns building, which Canary Wharf is still constructing on behalf of JPMorgan on the other side of the estate.

The City's development partner on the site, Hammerson, said yesterday that it would make a full provision for costs of £17m, which will be written off in the half year results of the company next Thursday.

In a statement, Hammerson said that "it has become clear that the building that JPMorgan is looking to build and occupy cannot be accommodated on the St Alphage site".

There are likely to have been other reasons for the volte face by JPMorgan, however, not least the level of opposition from the residents of the neighbouring Barbican estate.

Hammerson and the City of London Corporation entered into an exclusivity agreement with JPMorgan in May 2007 for the construction of a 1m sq ft European headquarters, but the planning process has been held back by criticism of the proposed scheme.

Peter Bennett, the City surveyor, said the decision was "disappointing", but that the City authorities still planned to develop the site into an office building.

John Richards, chief executive of Hammerson, said that the redevelopment of the St Alphage site would be taken forward "at an appropriate time".

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Farmland demand eases out lifestyle farmers

By Elaine Moore

Published: August 2 2008 03:00 | Last updated: August 2 2008 03:00

High demand for farmland has pushed lifestyle farmers out of the market, but agents said on Friday that demand from prospective investors looking for a tax-efficient slice of the good life was as strong as ever.

Over the past two years the value of farmland has risen by more than 100 per cent on average, driven by the soaring cost of food. Over the past six months prices have accelerated at their fastest pace on record – 24 per cent – according to figures this week from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors. The average price per hectare stands at nearly £13,000 ($2,568), according to the data.

However, lifestyle investors, who account for about 30 per cent of the farmland market, have been priced out by farmers looking to expand their businesses.

With last year’s increase in grain prices farmers saw stronger profits than they have done in years, giving them the money to buy more land.

As the value of land has risen many farmers have reduced the debts on their farms, enabling them to obtain more bank funding against their existing assets. Farmland has also been targeted by foreign buyers and institutional investors.

Conversely, new buyers have had difficulty obtaining mortgages from banks. Rics said it thought the days of the lifestyle buyer were on the wane. While demand for bare land remained strong, it recorded a dip in the number of potential buyers for land with farm houses attached.

According to Knight Frank property consultancy, about 60 per cent of agricultural land purchases in the second quarter of 2008 were made by existing farmers, a big change from earlier months.

While smaller residential farms normally attractive to lifestyle buyers are still making their guide price, agents say this is mainly because of the value attached to the land, not the property.

Over the past 10 years the supply of farmland has fallen year on year. Estate agents said that the extreme undersupply of property in the agricultural land market meant that while prices were unlikely to experience strong growth, values were expected to continue rising.

Knight Frank predicted average prices would go up 14 per cent over the next year, but said larger areas of land would outperform smaller farms.

Despite this, agents said lifestyle investors were still being drawn to farmland as an attractive alternative to residential property, where prices had experienced a dramatic slowdown.

“When a nice farm comes up in a picturesque part of the country there will always be buyers interested,” said Andrew Shirley, head of rural land research at Knight Frank. He compared the market for small, attractive farms to the high end of the residential property market, where wealthy buyers tend to have access to considerable capital and so are less constrained by the credit squeeze.

Farmland in the UK owned for longer than two years benefits from 100 per cent relief on inheritance tax.

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Opportunity beckons on Dartmoor

Victoria and Keith Bamsey from Devon had been looking for an agricultural investment since they sold their home last November .

Last week the couple exchanged on Beelands farm, a 40-acre secluded smallholding in Dartmoor offered for sale at a guide price of £925,000.

Strutt & Parker Estates, which arranged the purchase, called the farm “ideal for the lifestyle/hobby farmer” thanks to its characterful farmhouse and easy-to-manage hillside land.

Mr and Mrs Bamsey have lived locally for years and run a tourist and leisure business in Exeter, called Saddles and Paddles, which they will continue to manage after they move.

Farm land around Dartmoor has experienced sharp price increases. Locals say prices per acre have gone up on average from about £4,000 last year to about £5,000 now.

Mr Bamsey said that he saw investment in the farm as a good opportunity to protect his capital from inflation. After selling his home in November he converted the money into savings, benefiting from high interest rates, but was looking for a property investment opportunity. “Residential and commercial land hasn’t been doing very well at the moment, especially compared to agricultural land, which is an entirely different market,” he said.

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消費税上げ、財務相「今秋から議論」「恒久的な安定財源必要」

　福田改造内閣が2日正式に発足、各閣僚が初閣議後に記者会見し、今後の政策の運営方針などを示した。伊吹文明財務相は「（政策を）長期間やる場合、恒久的な安定財源が必要。これを暮れの税制改正でやらねばならない」と述べ、消費税率引き上げの時期や幅などのシナリオを今秋から年末にかけての税制改正論議で詰めていく考えを示した。

　福田康夫首相が6月の記者会見で消費税率引き上げについて「2、3年とか長い単位で考えたい」と語ったことに対して、伊吹財務相は「すべての作業が完結するのが2、3年かかるということではないか」と受け止めていることも明らかにした。増税に踏み切る時期については「いろいろと政治的な判断がある」とも述べた。

　伊吹財務相は任期切れまで1年あまりとなった衆院の解散・総選挙に関連して、「与野党ともにマニフェスト（政権公約）を出すときは、これからやる施策と財源を明示して国民の審判を仰ぐべきだ」と指摘。「こういう施策に、これだけの財源が必要というシナリオと時系列を示すのが選挙のテーマになる」との見方を示した。

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イーバンク銀が増資、サブプライム損失に対応

　インターネット銀行最大手のイーバンク銀行は株主割り当てによる新株発行を実施し、資本増強する方針を決めた。6日時点の株主を対象に、保有株1株につき新株1株を発行する。調達額は最大で約200億円となる。同行はサブプライムローン関連の損失拡大で2008年3月期に234億円の最終赤字に陥った。 4―6月期も赤字の見込みで、株主割り当てによる増資で財務体質を強化する。

　発行する新株は約66万株で、発行価格は1株3万円。調達した資金は全額資本金と資本準備金に充てる。イーバンク銀の3月末時点の資本金は384億円で、全株主が応募した場合、自己資本比率は11.6％から20％弱まで改善する見込み。

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みずほコーポ銀、メリル株下落リスク軽減　優先株の条件見直し

　みずほコーポレート銀行は1月に引き受けた米メリルリンチの優先株12億ドル（約1300億円）について、条件見直しに応じた。普通株に転換する際の基準価格を当初の52ドル40セントから33ドルに引き下げた。メリルの株価下落によるリスクを軽減する効果がある。

　1月まで50ドル台で推移していたメリルの株価は7月に一時、半分以下となる25ドルを下回った。みずほコーポ銀は優先株を減損処理しなければならない可能性があったが、条件見直しにより低い価格で普通株に転換できるようになったため、減損処理のリスクが小さくなった。基準価格が下がると、将来、普通株に転換した際の保有株数が増える可能性がある。

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経団連会長、道州制の必要性強調

　日本経団連の御手洗冨士夫会長は1日、日本経済新聞のインタビューに応じ「日本の経済成長を阻害している要因は東京一極集中」と指摘、地方活性化のため道州制導入の必要性を強調した。そのためには「市町村合併で基礎自治体の数を1000程度まで絞る必要がある」との考えを示した。

　御手洗会長は同日、九州の経済4団体と九州地方知事会で組織する九州地域戦略会議（鎌田迪貞議長＝九州経済連合会会長）で講演し「条件が整えば九州で道州制を先行導入してほしい」と九州の産官学のトップらに提案。経団連としても「先行導入を可能にする仕組みづくりや、制度改革に取り組む」と述べた。

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米ＧＭ、１兆7000億円赤字　４―６月最終損益

　【ニューヨーク＝武類雅典】米ゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）が1日発表した4―6月期の最終損益は154億7100万ドル（約1兆7000億円）の赤字となった。最終赤字は4四半期連続。主力の北米で大型車の販売不振から大幅減収に陥ったうえ、リストラ費用など約90億ドルの一時損失を計上、前年同期の 8億9100万ドルの黒字から大幅に悪化した。ガソリン高が続くなか自動車大手の苦境が浮き彫りになった。

　売上高は前年同期比18％減の381億5600万ドル。北米では販売台数が約2割減り、売上高は33％減の198億ドルに落ち込んだ。一時損失を除く北米の税引き前損益も前年同期の9200万ドルの黒字から44億ドルの赤字に転落した。手元流動性は3月末の239億ドルから210億ドルに減少、資金繰りの苦しさは増した。

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日産の４―６月、純利益43％減　米で大型車振るわず

　日産自動車が1日発表した2008年4―6月期連結決算は、純利益が527億円と前年同期に比べて43％減少した。主要な市場である米国で大型車の販売が苦戦したほか、中古車価格の下落に伴ってリース用車両の評価損も計上。為替の円高・ドル安も響いて2期連続の減益となった。09年3月期の通期見通しは変更しない。

　日産は年間の利益の6割以上を米国で稼ぐとされ、日本の自動車メーカーの中でも「米国依存度」が高い。米国市場の縮小が業績に大きく響いたのはそのためだ。

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米新車販売：消費者の大型車離れ加速　日本車シェア増で

　１日に発表された自動車メーカー各社の７月の米国新車販売台数で、日本車メーカー８社のシェアが初めて米自動車大手３社（ビッグ３）を上回ったことは、ガソリン価格の高騰に敏感な米国の消費者の「大型車離れ」が一気に加速していることを裏付けた。

　ガソリン価格は原油高騰を背景に、１年前に比べ４割近く上昇。「消費者の行動は大きく変わった。業界は激しい構造変化に直面している」とゼネラル・モーターズ（ＧＭ）のリック・ワゴナー会長が言うように、米国市場で各社は燃費の良い小型車への対応という新たな競争に向かっている。

　米国では長年、大型車が好まれてきた。広い国土に道路幅も広い米国の生活スタイルに合わせたスポーツタイプ多目的車（ＳＵＶ）やピックアップトラックは常に販売の上位を占めてきた。

　それが、昨年秋以降の原油高騰に伴うガソリン高で状況が一変。フォード・モーターが「世界で一番売れている車」（ムラーリー会長）と自慢してきた大型ピックアップトラック「Ｆ１５０」の販売台数が激減し、同社は新型車投入を延期した。ＧＭやクライスラーも事情は同じで、ＧＭはＳＵＶブランド「ハマー」の売却方針を表明している。

　ハマーやＦ１５０を含む小型トラックの７月の販売台数は、ＧＭが前年実績比３４．７％減、フォードは同２２．３％減、クライスラーも同３１．４％減と販売の足を引っ張った。

　日本勢も小型トラック部門はトヨタで前年同月比２７．１％減、ホンダも同２２％減と苦戦。各社は米国で大型車の減産を迫られ、昨年以降、急速に高まった小型車需要には日本からの輸出の増加でしのいでいる状況だ。トヨタ自動車が建設中の米工場での生産車種を、大型車から品薄続きのハイブリッド車「プリウス」に切り替える方針を決めるなど、各社とも米国での現地生産体制の見直しを急いでいる。

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新日石、家庭用燃料電池を量産　100億円投資

　新日本石油は家庭用燃料電池の量産に乗り出す。提携先の三洋電機の工場に生産設備を導入し、一般販売を始める2009年度に年1万台、15年度までに年 4万台を生産できる体制を整える。総投資額は100億円。燃料電池をガソリンなど石油製品の販売不振を補う収益源に育てる。松下電器産業や東芝なども同事業の拡大を急いでおり、各社の量産競争が低価格化と普及を促しそうだ。

　家庭用燃料電池は水素と酸素の反応で発電し、排熱を使って給湯もする装置。二酸化炭素（ＣＯ2）排出量が少なく、太陽光発電などと並んで家庭用の次世代電源として有望視されている。

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ヤマダ電機の４―６月、経常益４％減

　ヤマダ電機の2008年4―6月期の連結経常利益は95億円前後と前年同期に比べて4％減ったようだ。ガソリン高の影響で主力である郊外店の売り上げが苦戦したのに加え、競争激化で販売促進費を積み増した。最高益の08年3月期も1―3月期は3％減益で、急成長を続けるヤマダにも消費減速の影響が本格的に出始めた。

　売上高は12％増の4400億円前後になったとみられる。「ＬＡＢＩ津田沼」（千葉県習志野市）をはじめ、期中に開業した12の新店が増収をけん引した。

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米産牛肉販売、徐々に回復　輸入再開２年

　米国産牛肉の輸入再開から2年。円高・ドル安による割安感も加わり、外食やスーパーでの販売が徐々に回復している。

　吉野家ホールディングスは今年3月に牛丼の24時間販売を再開。焼き肉店「でん」のゼンショク（大阪府茨木市）は「同じ等級なら豪州産より安くなってきた」としてメニュー数の約8割が米国産だ。イトーヨーカ堂は昨年6月に首都圏の20店で米国産牛肉の販売を再開し、現在は175店全店で扱う。

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銅鉱石小幅値上げ、製錬各社が合意　３年連続、英豪系大手と

　英豪系資源大手ＢＨＰビリトンと住友金属鉱山など国内の銅製錬会社は、1日までに銅鉱石の小幅値上げで大筋合意した。3年連続の値上がりで、現在の地金（鉱石を製錬した製品）換算で0.2％高くなる。製錬各社の取り分に当たる加工賃は約6％下がる見通し。電線などインフラ向けを中心に世界需要の拡大が続いているほか、交渉力を増した資源メジャーが押し切った。

　今後、年末の交渉でも鉱山会社が強気に出てくるのは必至で、国内製錬各社の収益圧迫要因になる。

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資生堂、海外子会社の人事制度を統一

　資生堂は2010年度をめどに、海外子会社で現地採用する従業員の人事制度を統一する。中途採用や海外子会社間の転勤などをしやすくする狙い。同社は17年度に海外売上高比率を50％以上とする計画。海外子会社の人事制度を改め、有能な人材を確保する。

　61の海外子会社が現地採用した約1万6000人を対象に、目標管理の評価制度や職務等級制度などを導入する。年功序列の要素の濃い職能給から、仕事の内容ごとに賃金を決める職務給に改める。中途採用でも同システムを活用すれば、能力に見合ったポストを用意できる。

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またガソリン値上げ　消費エンスト　対策に知恵

　原油価格の高騰を受けた石油元売り各社の卸値引き上げを受け、1日からガソリン価格が一斉に1リットル当たり6―8円前後上がった。ここ4カ月で60円近い上昇で、乗用車が交通手段として欠かせない道内では家計にも打撃だ。ただでさえ景気の停滞感から消費心理が冷え込んでいる中、小売業や観光業などは、あの手この手で集客増や販売促進に知恵を絞る。

　1日、商業施設などで旅行カウンターを展開するＪＴＢトラベランドは道内20店舗で、1人3万円以上のツアー商品を申し込んだ顧客にレギュラーガソリン10リットル分の引換券を贈呈し始めた。

　飛行機を利用するパックツアーが条件で、先着2000組が対象。道内の給油所最大手、北海道エネルギー（札幌市）の約190店で使える。割引分はＪＴＢ側が負担。「今年は春夏の営業が厳しく、秋に盛り返すべく消費者の関心が強いガソリンに着目した」（ＪＴＢトラベランド）。

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秋田大学、資源開発の人材育成　北大など４大学と共同で

　秋田大学は鉱物資源に関する学科がある北海道大、早稲田大、東京大、九州大の4大学と共同で資源開発の人材育成に取り組む。関連企業・団体とも連携して来年3月、5大学の3年生以上の学生約20人に集中講義を実施する。資源価格高騰などで高まる人材養成のニーズに関係大学が連携して対応する。

　秋田大が1日、4大学とともに申請していたプログラムが文部科学省の補助対象事業に採択されたと発表した。実施期間は2008―09年度の2年間で、独立行政法人の石油天然ガス・金属鉱物資源機構（ＪＯＧＭＥＣ）など6団体と連携する。予算は年間2400万円で調整中。

　集中講義は秋田大で実施。地質から探査、採鉱、リサイクル、資源経済まで取り上げ、大学教員が基礎や理論、精錬会社や商社の企業技術者などが実践例を教える。来春の集中講義は5日間とし、09年度は夏季に長い期間で行う。5大学間の出前講義や海外の鉱山のインターンシップ（就業体験）も実施する。

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鉄鉱石を探せ　政府が１００億円支援

2008年8月2日14時30分

　経済産業省は、鉄鋼メーカーや商社による海外での鉄鋼原料確保の支援に乗り出す。鉄鉱石や石炭は、品薄や資源大手の寡占を背景に急騰し、自動車や造船などの産業や消費者にも影響を与えている。日本企業の海外での開発を低利融資などで促し、安定調達に結びつけたい考えだ。

　石油天然ガス・金属鉱物資源機構（ＪＯＧＭＥＣ）は、日本企業による鉄鉱石鉱山の探査支援に出資、融資する。現在は銅やレアメタル（希少金属）の鉱脈探査が対象だが、範囲を広げる。年１００億円程度の融資・出資枠を新設する費用を、来年度政府予算の概算要求に盛り込む。

　探査で有望と分かった鉱山の開発や権益取得には、すでに国際協力銀行（ＪＢＩＣ）による融資があり、同行全体の融資枠も約１兆円から拡大する方向。現行枠は幅広い案件を対象にするが、枠の拡大は鉄鉱石と製鉄用石炭（原料炭）を念頭に置き、ＪＢＩＣは鉄鋼原料の確保を支援する部署を新設した。

　鉱山開発や権益取得に関する融資や出資への公的な保険は、日本貿易保険（ＮＥＸＩ）が手がけている。今回の対応で、探査から開発、権益取得までを一貫支援できる態勢を整える。

　新日本製鉄や三菱商事などの日本企業は豪州やブラジルといった鉄鋼原料の主産地だけでなく、良質な原料が残るとされるアフリカでも新たな開発を検討中。こうした計画を促し、特定国への依存度を下げる狙いもありそうだ。

　世界最大の顧客だった日本の鉄鋼大手や商社は長年、豪州などから鉄鋼原料を安価に調達してきた経緯があり、国は鉱山開発を民間に任せてきた。だが、鉄鋼世界首位アルセロール・ミッタル（欧州）や５位の宝鋼集団（中国）などの台頭で、２位新日鉄など日本勢の相対的地位は低下。一方の鉱山側は豪州とブラジルに拠点を置く資源大手３社による寡占が進み、買い手と売り手の立場が逆転した。

　そこへ中国を中心とする鉄鋼需要の伸びがあり、０８年度の価格は鉄鉱石が前年度比６５～８０％、原料炭が約３倍に急騰。日本全体の負担増は副原料も含め約３兆５千億円に達する見通し。コストは鋼材価格、さらには自動車など最終製品の価格にも転嫁されようとしている。

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被爆米兵の無念伝える　歴史研究家が本に

　広島への原爆投下で亡くなった米兵捕虜の調査を続けてきた広島市の歴史研究家、森重昭さん（71）が原爆投下から丸63年となるのを前に、初の自著を出版した。30年間の調査の集大成で、米政府も詳細を明らかにしていない貴重な資料や証言も数多く収録。森さんは「戦争の悲惨さに敵味方の関係はない。米兵が犠牲になった事実を広く知ってほしい」との思いを込めた。

　著書は「原爆で死んだ米兵秘史」で、約250ページ。犠牲になった米兵が12人であることや、直前に撃墜された米軍機の乗組員だったこと、そして全員の氏名――。生き残った元米兵や元日本兵らから聞き取りを重ね、ＧＨＱ（連合国軍総司令部）の膨大な資料を分析し、こうした事実を解き明かしていくまでの過程を丹念に記した。遺族との交流などにも触れている。

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米原潜放射能漏れ、地元が政府に不信感

　米国のテレビ報道で2日、明らかとなった米海軍原子力潜水艦の放射能漏れ。政府内の情報伝達体制は機能していたのか。政府が事実を公表していなかったことに地元・長崎県佐世保市では、市民が不信感を募らせた。

　放射能漏れの事実が米側から日本政府に伝えられたのは1日。だが、佐世保市には2日朝、ニュースが流れるまで情報は一切入っていなかった。同市基地政策局の原口優秀局長（59）は「なぜ外務省は事実を把握した段階で、地元自治体に連絡しなかったのか。たとえ問題ないレベルだとしてもきちんと対応してほしい」と話した。

　放射能漏れを起こした米原子力潜水艦ヒューストンが沖合に一時停泊していた沖縄県うるま市の知念恒男市長（67）は2日、「重大な問題で看過できない。放射能漏れは微量でもあってはならないことだ」と懸念を示した。

　沖縄県基地対策課によると、ヒューストンは3月12日に補給などのため米海軍基地のホワイトビーチ沖に24分間停泊。その際の放射能調査は平常値だったという。

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エコノミークラス症候群で過去15年調査　30人死亡、重症116人

　成田空港への到着客のうち、長時間同じ姿勢で座り続けて発症することで知られるエコノミークラス症候群による死亡は過去15年で計30人、重症も計116人に上ることが日本医科大成田国際空港クリニック（千葉県成田市）の調査で分かった。

　2003年2月にカナダから帰国した横浜市の男性教諭（当時28）が発症、死亡したのを最後に過去5年で死亡者はいないという。

　同クリニック所長の牧野俊郎医師は「旅行者に危険性が浸透しつつある証拠」とみているが、「機内で足踏みなどの軽い運動や水分補給で防げるが、若い人でも発症する恐れがあり油断は禁物」と夏休みの海外旅行客に注意を呼び掛けている。

　調査によると、死亡者は日本人21人（男7人、女14人）、外国人9人（男7人、女2人）。重症者は日本人82人（男23人、女59人）、外国人34人（男19人、女15人）。軽症者は年間約200人だった。

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大麻栽培の摘発急増　10年で５倍、厚労省調べ

　大麻を栽培して摘発されるケースが急増している。厚生労働省によると、昨年までの10年で約5倍。インターネットの普及で種子を入手しやすくなったことや、種子の所持を取り締まる法律がないことが背景にある。

　7月、大津市の自宅官舎で大麻を栽培したとして、国土交通省の職員（43）が逮捕、起訴された。厚労省近畿厚生局麻薬取締部によると、四畳半の洋室を栽培専用にし、日光が入らないよう窓はアルミのシートで目張り。電熱器をぶら下げ、湿度調整用のエアコンまで備えていた。

　約20―60センチに育った鉢植えの大麻約50本と、種子が数十粒押収された。職員は「育てやすい種類の種をネットで買い、栽培した」と供述している。

　同取締部によると、栽培による摘発は1997年には全国で42件だったが、その後増加し、昨年は192件に達した。

　大麻取締法は大麻の所持や譲渡を禁じているが、種子は対象外。ネットや輸入雑貨店で「観賞用」「合法」など“逃げ口上”付きで売られている。

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米国：科学者が７月に自殺　炭疽菌郵便物５人死亡事件で

　【ワシントン及川正也】米紙ロサンゼルス・タイムズ（電子版）など米メディアは１日、０１年秋に米国で炭疽（たんそ）菌を同封した郵便物が送られ５人が死亡した事件で、米司法省が訴追対象としていた科学者が先月末に自殺していたと報じた。

　科学者はメリーランド州にある陸軍感染症医学研究所に１８年間勤務していたブルース・アイビンス氏（６２）。報道によると、同氏は炭疽菌のワクチン研究を手がけていたが、限られた動物実験に不満を持っていたとされ、米連邦捜査局（ＦＢＩ）はワクチンの効果を試すために事件を起こしたとみているという。

　生物・化学兵器研究の拠点である同研究所は早くから捜査対象となった。容疑をかけられた生物学者が潔白を主張して国に損害賠償を請求。今年６月に国が５８２万ドル（約６億２０００万円）を支払うことで和解した。

　同紙などによると、アイビンス氏は同僚の和解を知った後、うつ状態になり、同氏を捜査対象としていた警察当局が仕事場から隔離。入院した同州内の病院で７月２９日、鎮痛剤などを大量に飲んで自殺したという。

　司法省は１日、科学者の自殺に触れずに「炭疽菌事件で重大な進展があった」とする声明を発表した。一方、アイビンス氏の弁護士はＡＰ通信に同氏の無実を主張。自殺は当局による「容赦ない圧力」が原因と非難した。

　この事件は０１年９月の米同時多発テロ直後に発生しただけに、「生物テロ」として全米を震撼（しんかん）させた。