EBRD faces first loss in decade

EBRD faces first loss in decade

By Stefan Wagstyl in London

Published: October 25 2008 00:03 | Last updated: October 25 2008 00:03

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is braced for its first annual loss in a decade.

The news follows crisis-induced writedowns on the bank’s central and east European investments.

“The EBRD will be hit ... To what degree is not yet completely clear ... But we will see writedowns on our listed equities and on the unlisted,” said Thomas Mirow, president of the multilateral bank for the former Communist bloc, in an interview with the Financial Times on Friday.

“I would not rule out a loss for the year but in any case we will clearly be affected [by the global crisis].”

The disclosure came on a day that central and east European markets suffered another pounding, with equity markets reeling from a sell-off in western Europe and around the world. Russian shares dropped 14 per cent before trading was suspended and Polish shares fell 4 per cent.

Traders saw little prospect of stabilisation in the region until global markets settled.

Erste, the Austrian bank, said in a report: “Overall, central and east European markets will continue to be determined by the evolution of the global crisis. So, looking for the bottom will likely also be the name of the game next week.”

At the EBRD, which is owned by 60-odd shareholder governments, this year‘s financial performance will reflect the sharp decline in the region’s leading equity markets, with the MSCI Eastern Europe index down 69.7 per cent this year in dollar terms. Mr Mirow said the precise results could not be known until the year-end because of market volatility and discussions about the valuation of the bank’s portfolio. But he said loans, as distinct from equity investments, were in good shape, with little crisis-linked deterioration in quality, meaning that borrowers were still paying on time. The EBRD does, however, have a previously disclosed exposure of $135m (€106m, £85m) to Lehman Brothers, the bankrupt US investment bank.

Mr Mirow insisted that the EBRD would not curtail its activities, proposing to invest up to €5.95bn next year, slightly more than this year’s planned maximum of €5.8bn. But the mix was changing, with some investors pulling out of concrete projects while there was “a colossal inflow” of proposals from companies which would normally have raised private finance. The bank was also giving extra support to banks but only those in which the EBRD had already invested, said Mr Mirow. He declined to give figures on the scale of this bank support.

The EBRD last made a loss, of €61.2m in 1998, the year of the Russian financial crisis. It made profits of €1.9bn last year, taking its reserves plus paid-in capital to €13.9bn, or 42 per cent of total assets of €33.2bn. This is a very high level of capitalisation in comparison with commercial banks.

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Denmark lifts rates to defend krone

By Robert Anderson in Stockholm

Published: October 24 2008 14:02 | Last updated: October 24 2008 14:02

Denmark’s central bank on Friday raised its key interest rate for the second time this month to defend the krone, demonstrating the cost to the country of staying outside the eurozone.

The 50 basis point rise to 5.5 per cent stands in marked contrast to recent rate cuts in neighbouring Norway and Sweden, and threatens to push Danish housing prices down further and depress an already stagnating economy.

Denmark only emerged from technical recession in the second quarter and growth this year is expected to be close to zero.

“The increased downside risk on growth is significant,” said Gizen Kara, Scandinavian analyst at BNP Paribas in London. “This will in turn put further pressure on the krone.”

The krone, like other smaller European currencies, has been affected by the drying up of liquidity in the global credit crunch and a shift away from riskier assets as prospects for the world economy darken.

The Swedish and Norwegian currencies have depreciated by 8 per cent and 10 per cent, respectively, since the end of August but their central banks have preferred to cut rates to help their banking sectors and boost economic growth.

By contrast, Danmarks Nationalbank – the central bank, whose key responsibility is to maintain the krone’s fixed parity with the euro – has been raising rates to support the currency.

Friday’s rate rise widened the spread over the European Central Bank rate to 175 basis points, an all-time high. Before the Nationalbank raised rates in May the spread had been just 25 basis points.

Anders Fogh Rasmussen, prime minister, recently pointed to the interest rate spread as a reason for Denmark to adopt the euro. His government intends to hold a referendum to reverse Danish opposition to the euro but plans are on hold until Ireland adopts the Lisbon Treaty.

“There’s no doubt that this will give the ‘Yes’ camp a very strong argument,” said Steen Bocian, chief economist at Danske Bank, the country’s largest bank. “Now they can point to this situation.”

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Russia's richest man scrambles for funds

By Catherine Belton in Moscow

Published: October 25 2008 03:00 | Last updated: October 25 2008 03:00

When Oleg Deripaska hosted George Osborne, the UK's shadow chancellor, on his Queen K yacht off Corfu in August, Russia's richest man had tens of billions of dollars to play for.

Mr Deripaska's UC Rusal aluminium giant was locked in a battle for control of Norilsk Nickel, the world's biggest nickel miner, then worth more than $40bn (€32bn, £25bn). Key to the fight were plans to bring Rusal to London for a $10bn- plus IPO, in spite of a lawsuit in London's High Court that threatened to open a can of worms on his 1990s business dealings and jeopardise the share offering.

But that was the calm before the storm. The money Mr Deripaska was playing for has been obliterated in Russia's stock market rout.

Norilsk Nickel is worth less than $10bn and Mr Deripaska faces the possible forced divestment of his Norilsk stake. Meetings with senior British politicians on his yacht have meanwhile become as toxic as the debts that Mr Deripaska appears to hold.

The tycoon is scrambling to refinance a $4.5bn loan from western banks that paid for part of his 25 per cent Norilsk stake, after the value of the shares he pledged as collateral plunged. If he fails to get an extension of a waiver on repayment from the western banks or a bail-out from the Russian state by the end of next week, he could be forced to hand over the stake to creditors, insiders say. Rusal says it is optimistic it will get refinancing from the Kremlin. In the meantime it said it is "conducting negotiations with the banks" on the waiver.

What had been Russia's biggest industrial empire "is starting to look like a house of cards", says one person close to Rusal. "[Deripaska's] people think they have a lot of options. But they are starting to run out . . . Every billion counts. It is going to be a very close run." The credit crunch has wiped an estimated $230bn off the peak $300bn total value of stocks held by Russia's oligarchs. Others who have lost paper fortunes in the stock market slide include football club owners Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov.

In a reverse of the 1990s privatizsations when oligarchs dictated the terms of a sell-off to a weak state, the cash-rich government is now in a position to decide the fates of the country's most leveraged businessmen. Setting the stage for the biggest redistribution of Russian property since the 1990s privatisations, the Kremlin has put aside nearly $100bn for bail-outs, including $50bn to refinance the foreign loans of strategic enterprises such as Mr Deripaska's Rusal.

Insiders say the banks would prefer to extend Mr Deripaska's waiver to give time for the state-owned development bank, VEB, to provide refinancing, which may not come before November at the earliest.

Mr Deripaska has been forced to divest stakes in two foreign holdings to meet demands by foreign banks. Other debts are mounting up. Rusal said this week it had persuaded Mikhail Prokhorov, a billionaire, to defer a $700m tranche it owes him for the purchase of his 25 per cent stake in Norilsk because it could not meet a deadline yesterday.

One former partner of Mr Deripaska, Alexander Temerko, formerly the vice-president of Yukos, said: "He built a pyramid.

"Everything is fine when the market is growing. But this system of loans generating more loans is dangerous when the market falls."

The leverage that went into building Mr Deripaska's vast empire, through which he controls 90 per cent of Russia's aluminium output, is symptomatic of a borrowing boom that fuelled the seemingly insatiable appetites of the country's richest men. The hundreds of billions of dollars raised on Russian collateral helped make Moscow one of the world's most expensive cities, in a country where the average wage is about $700 a month.

But when the market fell after the war in Georgia and the collateral value plunged, the leveraging created a vicious circle of forced selling. Hundreds of businessmen, from oligarchs to minigarchs - had raised cash by pledging shares as collateral. Estimates on how much money was raised by pledging Russian blue-chips vary between $40bn and $120bn.

"One of the biggest problems is no one really knows the real amount of debt out there and who is having critical problems," says Chris Weafer of Uralsib, a Moscow-based investment bank. "One of the reasons Russia's market has gone down so much further is because investors fear there is a bigger debt problem than the official statistics show."

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Close to the wind: Russia’s oligarchs

By Catherine Belton in Moscow

Published: October 24 2008 19:44 | Last updated: October 24 2008 19:44

Deripaskas yacht

Oleg Deripaska had reason to be in ebullient form as the late August sun washed the grey steel hull and white aluminium superstructure of his yacht (above), the 72-metre Queen K, as it sat moored off the coast of Corfu. Russia’s richest man, who had made his money in metals, was in the middle of a nickel take-over battle but was taking time to throw a party on board for Britain’s political and business elite.

As has now become the stuff of furious UK debate, guests at that glittering Ionian occasion – aboard what is ranked as one of the 50 biggest yachts to ply the seas – included Peter Mandelson, then a European Union commissioner, and George Osborne, chief finance spokesman for the UK’s opposition Conservative party. As part of his tussle for control of Norilsk Nickel, the world’s biggest nickel miner, Mr Deripaska was considering floating his UC Rusal aluminium producer in London. Drinks with friends in high places could surely do no harm.

But that was the calm before the storm. In just two months, the tens of billions of dollars Mr Deripaska was playing for have been obliterated in Russia’s stock market rout. Norilsk Nickel is worth less than one-quarter of its $40bn (£26bn, €32bn) summer valuation and Mr Deripaska faces the possible forced divestment of his stake.

With Mr Osborne this week having to deny allegations of soliciting a party donation from the tycoon, and Lord Mandelson – newly appointed as business secretary in the Labour government – rejecting suggestions of a conflict of interest with his own role at the time as EU trade commissioner, the Russian’s meetings with British political figures have meanwhile become as toxic as the debts Mr Deripaska appears to hold.

The 40-year-old oligarch is scrambling to find refinancing for a $4.5bn loan from western banks, including Royal Bank of Scotland, that paid for part of his 25 per cent Norilsk stake, after a plunge in the value of the shares he pledged as collateral. If he fails to gain an extension from the western banks of a waiver on repayments or a bail-out from the Russian state by the end of next week, he could have to hand over the shareholding to creditors. Rusal says it is optimistic it will win refinancing from the government, adding that it is in the meantime “conducting negotiations with the banks” on a extension of the waiver.

But what had been Russia’s biggest industrial empire “is starting to look like a house of cards”, says one person close to Rusal. “[Mr Deripaska’s] people think they have a lot of options. But they are starting to run out . . . Every billion counts. It is going to be very close run.”

Mr Deripaska is not alone. The global credit crisis has wiped an estimated $230bn off the peak $300bn total value of stocks held by Russia’s oligarchs. Others who have lost paper fortunes in the market’s slide include Roman Abramovich and Alisher Usmanov, the respective backers of London’s Chelsea and Arsenal soccer clubs.

But those who, like Mr Deripaska, raised tens of billions of dollars by pledging shares as collateral are in the most precarious position. In a reverse of the 1990s privatisations, when oligarchs dictated terms of the sell-off to a weak state, now the cash-rich government is in a position to decide the fates of the country’s most highly leveraged businessmen. Setting the stage for the biggest redistribution of property since the 1990s, the Kremlin has set aside $50bn to refinance the foreign loans of strategic enterprises such as Mr Deripaska’s Rusal.

If Mr Deripaska fails to land an extension of the waiver or a state bail-out by the October 31 deadline set by the banks, he could face defaults on another nearly $10bn in loans Rusal owes to foreign banks. People with knowledge of the situation say the banks would prefer to extend the waiver to give time for VEB, the state-owned development bank, to provide refinancing, which may not come before November. But with 100 per cent approval required from creditors, there are still risks.

Mr Deripaska has already been forced to divest stakes in two foreign holdings to meet demands by foreign banks. Other debts are stacking up. Rusal says it has persuaded the billionaire, Mikhail Prokhorov, to allow it to defer a $700m tranche it owes him for buying his 25 per cent stake in Norilsk.

Basic Element, Mr Deripaska’s holding company, does not disclose the total level of its debts. But by at least one account, Mr Deripaska borrowed to the hilt. “We bought this and then we bought that,” says a former business partner. “If he bought something he would immediately pledge it as collateral and borrow money for something else. This is how he built up turnover.” Alexander Temerko, former vice-president of Yukos, the defunct energy group, says: “Everything is fine when the market is growing. But this system of loans generating more loans is very dangerous when the market falls.”

Basic Element denies it has any problems with liquidity, saying it does not intend to hand over any more shares to creditors. It managed to raise €500m in refinancing from co-shareholders in order to keep its 25 per cent stake in Strabag, the Austrian construction company, following a call by banks for more collateral.

But the leverage that went into building Mr Deripaska’s empire, via which he controls 90 per cent of the country’s aluminium output, is symptomatic of a borrowing boom by Russia’s richest men. The hundreds of billions of dollars raised on Russian collateral helped make Moscow one of the world’s most expensive cities, in a country where the average wage is still only about $700 a month. “This was part of the expanding wealth gap,” says Chris Weafer from the Moscow-based Uralsib investment bank. “The growth of high-end restaurants and clubs and the purchasing of west end apartments in London is a reflection of that.”

But when the market started to fall after the war in Georgia in August, cutting the value of collateral, the leveraging sparked a vicious circle of forced selling, helping send the Russian stock market down more than 70 per cent since its peak in May.

The practice of pledging shares in Russian blue chips to raise billions of dollars in loans became widespread as the stock market climbed for nearly five years in a row. Russian banks and western ones led by Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank headed the trade, say market participants. Estimates on how much money was raised by pledging Russian blue chips vary as widely as $40bn to $120bn. As a result, “no one knows” how much Russia’s actual debt is on top of the $527bn the central bank reports Russian companies and banks have borrowed from foreign banks, says Andrei Illarionov, a former presidential economic adviser.

Mr Weafer agrees: “One of the reasons Russia’s market has gone down so much further is because investors fear there is a bigger debt problem than the official statistics show.” Among those worst affected, he adds, are a second tier of so-called minigarchs. “A lot of their fortunes were predicated on the growth of asset values. But now they are the most exposed.”

Of the oligarchs, however, Mr Deripaska stands out. He had cultivated close ties to Vladimir Putin, the former president and current prime minister, by promising to help rebuild Russia. Basic Element took the lead on the construction programme for the 2014 Sochi winter Olympics and Mr Deripaska pledged to invest up to $3bn a year in rebuilding Russia’s roads, airports and other infrastructure – a commitment that added to his debt.

One market participant says Mr Deripaska “flew too close to the sun both on a political and economic level”, adding: “He is the public face of Sochi’s problems with rising costs.”

Mr Deripaska is thought likely to win refinancing from the state before the foreign creditors call in the $4.5bn loan. Russia will not want a big stake in the strategically important Norilsk to fall into the hands of foreign banks, analysts say. Igor Shuvalov, first deputy prime minister, said this week that he believed the foreign banks would extend the waiver to give time for a state bail-out to be disbursed. “What do the banks want? They want their loan back. If it’s a question of three weeks, then there should be no problem, because getting money from VEB is no problem but selling 25 per cent of Norilsk – that is a problem,” he said.

But the state bail-out could come at a high price. The opportunity to control 25 per cent of Norilsk could prove too tempting an opportunity for some in the government who for years have been wanting a state-controlled national champion in the metals and mining sector, says Mr Weafer.

A battle is still being waged in the government over what to do with the shares VEB will take as collateral in return for bail-out loans. But even with refinancing from the state, Rusal could face problems paying off government loans when they fall due. A London High Court case brought by Michael Cherney, a controversial figure in Russia’s 1990s aluminium industry, involving a 20 per cent stake in Rusal also threatens the oligarch’s reputation.

Mr Deripaska once told the FT he would surrender Rusal if the state asked him to. “If the state says we need to give it up, we’ll give it up,” he said. “I don’t separate myself from the state. I have no other interests.”

He now says that line was a joke. Soon it might not be.

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Half-point rate cut forecast on UK data

By Norma Cohen

Published: October 24 2008 09:43 | Last updated: October 24 2008 22:12

The news on Friday that Britain’s economy contracted during the three months to September in the sharpest quarterly decline since 1990 saw economists scurrying to revise downwards their already anaemic growth forecasts for 2009.

The widespread consensus is that the country is already in recession, even though a single quarter of falling output does not meet the technical definition of one. This was the first quarterly drop in output since 1992 and follows a quarter in which growth was flat.

The data also led many to revise upwards their estimate of the Bank of England’s next cut in interest rates when its monetary policy committee meets on November 6. The consensus is now for a half-point cut, with more to come in December.

The economic decline was spread across the economy, sparing neither services, manufacturing nor production, according to Friday’s data from the Office of National Statistics.

The only bright spots were growth of 0.5 per cent in agriculture – which accounts for about 1 per cent of the UK economy – and government spending, which makes up nearly a quarter of gross domestic product.

Philip Shaw, economist at Investec Securities, pronounced the results “truly dire”, noting that without the contribution from public sector spending, GDP would have contracted by 0.8 per cent.

The data are a “flash estimate” of GDP – a number notoriously subject to revision. There was a grain of comfort in the fact growth for the second quarter was unrevised and remained at zero, rather than being revised downwards.

The ONS fleshed out its figures with detail of where the contraction had taken place.

Notable was the 1 per cent drop in manufacturing output, within which 12 of 14 manufacturing sub-sectors showed a fall.

Particularly notable were the falling output of electrical and optical equipment, pulp, paper and printing and transport equipment. The woes of the UK car sector, where unsold vehicles are piling up on dealers’ forecourts, were also apparent in the data.

The distribution, hotels and restaurants sector, which accounts for about 15 per cent of the total UK economy, fell by 1.7 per cent. But within that, hotels and restaurants saw growth, with low distribution of cars attributing to the overall fall in the sector. Mining and quarrying showed a 0.7 per cent fall after a 0.1 per cent drop in the second quarter.

The UK’s services sector fell 0.4 per cent overall. Output of business services and finance decreased by 0.4 per cent in the quarter, largely reflecting a weakening in the category “other business services”, which includes legal, accounting, engineering consultancy and labour recruitment services.

The decline in the construction sector, which represents 6 per cent of the UK economy, deepened in the third quarter, with output down 0.8 per cent after a 0.5 per cent drop in the three months to June.

But the ONS noted that its “flash” estimate of GDP is based partly on incomplete construction data.

George Buckley, economist at Deutsche Bank, remarked that Friday’s GDP estimate is based on data that are roughly only 60 per cent complete.

This means that significant revisions to some components were still possible, he said.

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Chrysler axes 5,000 white-collar jobs

By Bernard Simon in Toronto and Francesco Guerrera in New York

Published: October 24 2008 18:52 | Last updated: October 24 2008 23:55

Detroit suffered a further blow yesterday with Chrysler announcing that it would slash one-quarter of its white-collar workforce, or almost 5,000 jobs, as merger talks with General Motors intensified.

“These are truly unimaginable times for our industry”, Bob Nardelli, the carmaker’s chief executive, told employees in an e-mail. “Never before have auto industry sales contracted at such a fast rate.”

The crisis injected urgency into efforts by Cerberus Capital Management, the hedge fund, to sell its 80 per cent stake in the smallest of the three Detroit-based carmakers to General Motors.

People close to the situation said the talks between the two sides had gathered pace and a GM takeover of Chrysler was currently the preferred option ahead of Chrysler’s mooted deal with the Renault-Nissan group on a limited partnership.

Carmakers, already hammered by the steep rise in fuel prices, have seen sales evaporate in the past two months as turmoil in financial markets has put a chill on consumer spending. Lenders have also tightened conditions on car financing deals.

Chrysler is especially vulnerable because nine-tenths of its sales are in North America. Its sales volumes were 30 per cent lower last month than a year earlier, in spite of generous discounts and buyer incentives.

Mr Nardelli indicated that structural changes would be announced soon. “We cannot operate as we have in the past”, he wrote.

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Tesco in plea to suppliers over payment

By Elizabeth Rigby, Consumer Industries Editor

Published: October 25 2008 03:00 | Last updated: October 25 2008 03:00

Tesco is asking all its non-food suppliers to wait an extra 30 days for payment of goods, as Britain's biggest retailer looks for ways to free up millions of pounds as it enters the all-important Christmas trading season.

The retailer wrote to all its general merchandise suppliers this month saying it had decided to change its payment terms from 30 to 60 days, effective from December 1, according to a letter seen by the Financial Times.

Eamonn O'Hare, finance director, wrote in the letter that the decision was the result of a "detailed review of our non-supplier [sic] terms, with the aim of improving consistency, transparency and efficiency across our non-food supply chain".

A Tesco spokesman said: "This is a move to align payment terms for our larger non-food suppliers across the Tesco group which currently vary from country to country and within product categories.

"We have written to suppliers to seek their agreement to the change and hope to implement it before the end of the year."

The timing of the payment terms will leave Tesco with millions of pounds extra in working capital in the run- up to Christmas.

Its non-food sales in the UK stood at £8.3bn in the year to April, amounting to just over a fifth of its turn-over in its home market.

Tesco insisted last night that the move was part of a global review.

But the timing of the decision means that the supermarket chain will be able to use that cash due to suppliers on price cuts and promotions in the fierce battle for Christmas spending.

But the decision will provoke anger from suppliers who will now have to wait for longer to be paid from Tesco. It made nearly £3bn in profit last year.

This month, Sir Terry Leahy, chief executive, said the chain was facing "powerful economic headwinds" as he delivered his interim results.

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Hedge funds face collateral pressure

By Chris Hughes and Kate Burgess

Published: October 24 2008 20:42 | Last updated: October 25 2008 01:09

The survival of a raft of hedge funds is being threatened by fresh pressure to stump up more collateral for trades made in a range of illiquid assets.

So-called prime brokers, who provide a range of services to hedge funds, are imposing tougher conditions on their clients and charging more for financing following the collapse of Lehman Brothers in mid-September, raising fears that more funds face collapse.

The more conservative terms mean that a hedge fund would have to put up additional collateral against financing if markets fall further, or sell down its holdings.

The problem for many hedge funds is that they have already sold down their more liquid investments and are grappling with a wave of redemptions from their own investors. Further collateral requests or higher financing costs may push many of them over the edge.

One fund manager said: “Funding is being withdrawn by prime brokers and funding rates have risen sharply in the past week or two. A tough environment is just getting tougher.”

Industry managers are concerned that renewed market turmoil, leading to weaker performance and client redemptions, could lead to a vicious circle of selling by hedge funds.

One prime broker said the situation was “on a knife edge”. “Everyone needs to keep their nerve,” he said. He added that prime brokers were particularly targeting funds that specialised in emerging markets.

Citadel Investment Group held a conference call on Friday to address concerns that its hedge funds would be forced into liquidation.

The firm said that redemptions were “modest’’ and it had $8bn (£5bn) in available credit to support trading. Citadel added that it was “significantly diversified”, with 30 per cent of its assets in cash and US treasuries.

Hedge funds have been selling assets over the past year to reduce their market exposure, but many have first offloaded the most ­liquid, or easy to sell, holdings. This has left them with a higher concentration of illiquid holdings.

Prime broking sources said that where higher requirements were being imposed, this reflected existing policies for times of increased market volatility, or when funds’ assets became less liquid.

“The policies are consistent, the volatility of the market and liquidity of certain portfolios is not,” said Roy Martins, head of international prime services at Credit Suisse.

One prime broker said margin requirements had risen across the board, although some convertible bond funds had been asked to put up more margin than others, and given less time to do it in.

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The new-generation head strategic nuclear-propelled sub “Yuri Dolgoruky” readied for trials

24.10.2008, 14.44

ARKHANGELSK, October 24 (Itar-Tass) - The new-generation head strategic nuclear-propelled submarine “Yuri Dolgoruky”, which is being built at the Sevmash yards in Severodvinsk, is being readied for trials at sea, Head of the Yards Press Service Mikhail Starozhilov told Itar-Tass on Friday.

Sevmash Director-General Nikolai Kalistratov has met with Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Navy Admiral Vladimir Vysotsky to discuss the program in accordance with which the submarine cruiser is to be tested, Starozhilov said. “The craft is now moored at the Sevmash outfitting quay. The submarine’s installations and systems are being checked and it is being prepared for the first trials,” he added.

The fourth-generation head strategic missile submarine “Yuri Dolgoruky” was taken out of the slipway for finishing jobs in April 2007. The keel of the submarine was laid down in 1996. Two more missile submarine cruisers of the same type were also named in memory of the ancient Russian dukes – Alexander Nevsky and Vladimir Monomakh. The keels of these two submarines were laid down in 2004 and 2006 respectively. They belong to the “Borey” class (projects 955). The submarines were designed at the “Rubin” Central Naval Construction Bureau in St.Petersburg.

According to unclassified sources, the latest achievements in naval radio electronics were used in “Borey” class submarines and the noises they produce were reduced to the minimum. They are to be armed with new “Bulava” missile systems. Each submarine will have twelve intercontinental solid fuel ballistic missiles with headcones, capable of splitting into ten re-entry vehicles. Submarines of this project will be provided with seven-men surfacing escape chambers. The “Borey” class nuclear-propelled submarines are 170 metres long and 13.5 metres broad. They have crews of 107 men each. Their submersion depth is 450 metres.

Commanding officers of the Russian Navy testify that “Borey” class submarines will be the principal naval component of the Russian strategic nuclear forces in the XXI century.

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Trade turnover between Russia and Norway may reach 2 billion dollars this year – Zubkov

22.10.2008, 16.34

MOSCOW, October 22 (Itar-Tass) -- Trade turnover between Russia and Norway may reach 2 billion dollars this year, Viktor Zubkov, the first deputy premier and co-chairman of the Intergovernmental Russian-Norwegian Commission for Economic, Industrial, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, forecast inaugurating the commission’s session on Wednesday.

“From the beginning of the year, mutual trade turnover (between our countries) almost doubled as compared with the similar period last year, to reach 1.5 billion dollars. I believe we may reach the two billion dollar mark by the end of the year,” Zubkov said.

The first deputy premier singled out power engineering, high technologies and innovations among the strategic trends of cooperation. “The potential of interaction in this area (high technologies) is huge, particularly in innovation, and I would like to call on Norwegian colleagues to take an active part in projects to create innovation centres and technoparks in Russia,” he said. Zubkov also mentioned shipbuilding and the manufacture of oil-and-gas equipment and marine drilling rigs among important aspects of cooperation.

Zubkov stressed that Russian banks, such as VTB and Rosselkhozbank, are interested in cooperation with Norwegian credit and financial institutions in the area of industry and the agro-industrial complex.

Norway’s Minister of Industry and Commerce Sylvia Brustad, the commission’s co-chairperson from the Norwegian side, noted, in turn, that “economic relations between Norway and Russia continue strengthening, trade increased over the past five years, and the positive tendency of the growth of cooperation in this area will persist this year.”

In 2007, Russian-Norwegian trade turnover reached 1.58 billion dollars. “The growth of the Russian economy in the recent years has been attracting Norwegian companies to the Russian market, and they increase their presence there as to themes and geography,” Brustad said.

She regretted the fact that “a relatively small number of Russian companies now operate on the Norwegian territory.” “We welcomed and will continue to welcome the arrival of Russian companies on the Norwegian market,” she stressed.

Norway now rates third in the world for the export of natural gas and fifth for the export of oil. Last year the Norwegian company StatoilHydro joined the project for the development of the first stage of the Shtokman gas-condensate deposit as a partner of Gazprom and the French Total, receiving a 24-percent stake of a company-operator of the project.

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Russia loses two billion dollars of its international reserves daily
24.10.2008 Source: Pravda.Ru URL: http://english.pravda.ru/business/finance/106618-international_reserves-0

Russia’s international reserves made up $517.5 billion as of October 17, the Bank of Russia said. The reserves decreased by $14.9 billion over just one week and by $80 billion since August 1. Russia’s international reserves lose over $2 billion a day, RIA Novosti reports.

The national reserves began to decline after the exacerbation of the liquidity crisis on the banking market. The reserves were evaluated at $600 billion in August. The Central Bank of the Russian Federation uses the funds to fill the banking system with cash assets. In addition, the Bank of Russia uses the international reserves to maintain the stability of the national currency, ruble.

Russia’s international reserves constitute of various currencies of the world, presumably of euros and dollars, the monetary gold and positions at the International Monetary Fund. Russia’s reserves are among the world’s largest, although it is believed that China takes the leadership at this point.

The Central Bank interventions and the growth of the dollar rate on the international market continue, which means that the reserves may decrease even further by the end of the week. On Wednesday, the Central Bank of Russia sold $4.5 billion to support the ruble, Reuters reports with reference to a dealer from a large foreign bank in Moscow.

The further change of the volume of Russia’s international reserves depends on the amount of the speculative pressure against the ruble, Natalia Orlova of Alfa-Bank believes. The specialist said that the reserves may cheapen to $500 billion by next Thursday due to the internal outflow of capital.

The reserves will have to be spent to maintain liquidity in the nearest future, The Vedomosti newspaper said on its website. Russia’s Vnesheconombank (Foreign Economic Bank) will receive $50 billion to refinance the foreign corporate debt.

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"Gas OPEC": is it a good idea?

22:45 | 24/ 10/ 2008

MOSCOW. (Oleg Mityayev, RIA Novosti economic commentator) - Russia, Iran and Qatar, the three nations accounting for over 60% of global natural gas reserves, agreed to set up a "gas OPEC," on October 21 in Tehran, Iranian Oil Minister Gholam Hossein Nozari said.

The three largest gas exporters want prices up, given the recent dramatic decline after the summer peak.

Unfortunately, they have no power to change that now, as gas prices are regulated by the oil and petrochemicals markets since there is no such thing as an independent gas market.

The high-profile statement by Nozari was followed by amendments. The alliance established in Iran's capital is in fact a "big gas troika." Its technical council will smooth out all unsolved issues within a week.

The OPEC-style gas cartel will be finalized on November 18 in Moscow which must mean the group's charter will be adopted, a document which has been in the works for two years, ever since Iran initiated the idea.

In fact, gas producing nations have had a discussion site since 2001, the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) comprising 16 member states. But it has no charter, its decisions are not binding on its members and it is no more than a discussion club.

Adopting a single charter has been the long-standing stumbling block for a "gas OPEC." Iran wants the gas cartel to be modeled after the original OPEC, setting quotas for gas production thus pushing prices up while further damaging the U.S. economy.

Moscow, in turn, is trying to avoid aggressive policies suggesting that the new organization should manage joint gas projects and gas transportation issues.

The latter is especially important for Russia and its gas export monopoly, Gazprom, whose CEO Alexei Miller represented Russia at the Tehran meeting. It is crucial for Russia that Central Asian gas go through Russia on the way to Europe rather than bypass it via the Caspian seabed or go through its sly ally, Iran.

Alongside these geopolitical predicaments, there are other practical issues for the proposed cartel to grapple with. Gazprom's gas supplies to Europe have been contracted for the next one to three decades. Iran's gas industry is so disorganized that, despite its huge reserves, the country has to export Turkmen gas under some of its export projects. Turkmenistan, for its part, has shown a rather cool attitude toward the gas OPEC idea.

Qatar is a new player on the global gas market. Most of its projects are still in the works and involve LNG deliveries also to Europe, and again, under long-term contracts. If it tries to limit those deliveries, its niche will be immediately seized by rivals - Libya, Algeria and others.

It follows from the above that there is no global gas market; there isn't a European gas market either. There are no "global" gas prices - they are set individually for each contract (usually a long-term).

As a result, the potential gas cartel cannot influence gas prices through restrictive quotas. By restricting exports, gas-producing countries would only harm themselves by cutting their own incomes.

By a strange irony of fate, gas prices in Europe are based on the market value of crude oil and petrochemicals, which gas producers have no power over.

The disgruntled attitude of the three countries richest in the commodity is easy to understand. Oil prices have plummeted to half of what they were during the summer peak, and natural gas followed suit. Mr Miller and his counterparts are getting desperate because they cannot influence the process.

However, the very idea of establishing some sort of gas cartel is bound to raise concerns with European consumers, further complicating Gazprom's investments in Europe, as if European partners weren't already wary of dealing with the Russian monopoly.

The Russian government must certainly realize that "gas OPEC" is a harmful idea. Energy Minister Sergei Shmatko said earlier this month that the wording was inappropriate because Russia has no intention of regulating gas prices or production levels.

Still, there is hope that the downslide of hydrocarbons pricing will be curbed as the original OPEC will meet in Vienna on October 24. OPEC is in a position to cut oil production drastically, and will do so to raise oil prices which will, in turn, take gas with it.

Russia is not an OPEC member, but has an observer status with the group, which is probably a good thing.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author's and do not necessarily represent those of RIA Novosti.

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株急落、企業年金に打撃　日経平均8000円・為替95円でマイナス20％

　株価急落が企業年金の運用を一段と悪化させている。日経平均株価が24日の終値に近い8000円で2009年３月末を迎えた場合、運用利回りは今年度通期でマイナス20％と、4―9月期のマイナス5.4％から大きく低下する可能性が高い。運用利回りが下がり続ければ年金の積み立て不足が拡大し、業績を下押しする。株価が下げ止まらないなか、年金対策が企業経営でも緊急の課題に浮上。運用方法を見直す企業も出てきた。

　米大手コンサルティング会社ワトソンワイアットによると、日経平均が8000円、円相場が現在の水準の１ドル＝95円で今年度末まで推移した場合、企業年金の運用利回りはマイナス19.7％となり、前年度実績(同社推計)のマイナス10.4％を下回る。国内約120の年金基金(６月末で資産規模約10兆円)の資産配分データを基に試算した。(16:00)

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個人が金投資に熱　金融危機、株安で販売急増

　国内の個人を中心に、金の地金やコインを購入する動きが広がってきた。米金融危機を契機に世界経済への不安が強まるなか、「安全資産」として注目を集めているためだ。金を求めて販売店を訪れる人が増えており、2002年のペイオフ部分解禁時以来の金投資ブームになりつつある。

　「夏場以降、新たに金を買う客が増えてきた」。貴金属販売の最大手、田中貴金属工業の店舗「ギンザ　タナカ」銀座本店の山田英和副店長はこう話す。同社の投資用金地金の販売量は、９月に05年12月以来の高水準を記録した。

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株急落、生保の含み益ほぼ枯渇

　24日の東京市場で株価が急落したことで、大手生命保険各社が保有する株式の「含み益」がほぼ枯渇したもようだ。第一生命保険や住友生命保険など7社で、取得時の価格を下回る「含み損」になったとみられる。円高で米国債などの外国債券や外国株式の含み損も拡大しており、財務体力をむしばんでいる。

　大手生保は保有する株式の含み益がなくなる株価水準（3月末時点）を開示している。当時と保有する株式に変化がなければ、日経平均株価の24日終値（7649円）と比べると朝日、住友、三井、富国、第一、太陽、大同が含み損になった可能性が高い。(09:46)

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政府、生保向け安全網の延長を閣議決定

　政府は24日の閣議で、破綻した生命保険会社の契約者を保護する公的な安全網の仕組みを延長することを決め、衆院に提出した。2009年3月末で期限切れとなる予定だったが、12年3月末まで延ばす。契約者保護の原資となる「生命保険契約者保護機構」による政府保証付きの借入限度額は4600億円に据え置く。

　世界的な金融危機に対応して、生保が破綻した場合の契約者の保護を引き続き充実させておく必要があると判断した。

　生保各社は安全網として1998年に機構を設立。各社が支払いのために積み立てている責任準備金の原則9割までを補償する仕組みだ。現在は生保各社の拠出のみで対応が困難な場合、政府が公的資金で補助できるようになっている。(07:00)

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株含み損、大手銀に打撃　６グループで1.2兆円

　株価の急落が国内銀行の経営を直撃している。24日の大幅下落で株式の含み損は大手銀行6グループで約1兆2000億円に達した。地域銀行でも全体でマイナスに転落したもようだ。含み損は自己資本から差し引かれるため、銀行経営に重しとなる。邦銀はここ数年、保有株式を圧縮してきたが海外銀に比べると高い水準にある。「株式が銀行財務にとって最大のリスク」（日銀）である点が改めて浮き彫りになった。

　政府もこうした状態を見過ごせないとして、銀行保有株の買い取りを再開する方向。買い取りが実現すれば、銀行経営に悪影響を与える自己資本比率の著しい低下を避けられるため、銀行界もこの構想を歓迎すると見られる。(07:39)

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「ねんきん特別便」、５割が未回答

　年金記録漏れの注意を喚起するため、すべての受給者と現役加入者に届ける「ねんきん特別便」で、社会保険庁が9月までに発送した約7781万人分のうち、約5割が未回答であることが分かった。特に現役加入者では未回答が約2909万人と7割弱に達した。同庁が24日、総務省の年金業務・社会保険庁監視等委員会（委員長・葛西敬之ＪＲ東海会長）に報告した。(07:00)

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サントリー、海外展開を加速　ＮＺ飲料大手の買収発表

　サントリーは24日、ニュージーランドの飲料大手フルコア社（オークランド）の買収を正式発表した。買収額は約750億円で、同社のＭ＆Ａ（合併・買収）では過去最大。オーストラリアにも充実した営業網を持つフルコアの獲得で、アジア各国・地域に構築した拠点とオセアニアをつなぎ、同地域での事業拡大を加速する。

　サントリーは2010年までに海外売上高比率を20％と、07年12月期の13％から大幅に引き上げる計画を掲げている。その手段については「地域や商品分野に合わせて柔軟に展開する」（同社）という。既に約20カ国・地域に拠点を持ち、輸出先も合わせて50以上の国と地域で事業を展開している。

　市場開拓の手法も多様だ。欧州ではブランドを重視し、ウイスキーの英モリソン・ボウモア社など、著名ブランドを持つ企業の買収や出資を進めている。一方、1984年に始めた中国のビール事業はほぼ自力で上海で60％のシェアを持つ規模に育てた。(07:00)

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日産・ルノー、新興国向け生産ラインを共同開発　コスト3分の1

　日産自動車と仏ルノーは新興国向けの低コスト生産ラインを共同開発した。人件費の安さを生かして手作業の比率を高めるほか、両社で異なる設備や作業工程を統一、柔軟に相互生産委託できる体制にする。生産コストは先進国ラインの3分の1に抑える。2010年に両社で立ち上げるインドの新工場に導入、順次世界に広げる。世界景気が低迷する中、低コスト生産体制を築き競争力を高める。

　日産は多品種の生産に対応できる効率的な生産方式「ＮＩＭＳ」を独自開発している。ロボットを駆使した先進国向けと、組み立てや部品搬送を手作業で行う新興国向けがあり、世界16拠点に導入してきた。今回は、ＮＩＭＳをベースに日産とルノーで新たな新興国用の生産ラインを共同開発した。(07:00)

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キユーピー、日光に食酢工場

　キユーピーは栃木県日光市内に国内で4カ所目となる食酢の新工場を建設する。12億円を投じ2009年4月に稼働する。ドレッシングなどの原料となる「ホワイトビネガー」生産の一部を主力の茨城県五霞町の工場から移管。五霞町の工場では健康志向で需要が伸びている果実酢や黒酢を増産する。

　キユーピーの食酢事業は子会社、キユーピー醸造（東京都府中市）が手掛ける。新工場の生産能力は年5000キロリットル。キユーピー醸造の現在の生産量は3工場で計年6万6000キロリットル。うちホワイトビネガーが3割強を占める。果実酢や黒酢の生産にはホワイトビネガーの2倍以上の投資が必要になるため、関連設備が利用できる主力工場で需要増に対応する。(07:00)

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日立メディコ、ＭＲＩ汎用機生産を中国に移管

　日立メディコは2009年にも主力製品の磁気共鳴画像装置（ＭＲＩ）で汎用機種の生産を国内から中国に移管する。現地の医療機器生産子会社に製造設備を移し、生産コストを1―2割減らす。従来はほぼ全製品を国内で生産していた。価格競争の激化で2008年3月期までに2期連続の最終赤字となったことから、中国生産の開始でコスト競争力を高めて巻き返しを図る。

　生産子会社の日立医療系統（蘇州）で永久磁石型のＭＲＩの生産を始める。08年度末までにＭＲＩの組み立て装置などを設置する。投資額は数億円程度とみられる。部材調達も一部は中国で賄う。従業員は生産台数の増加に伴い順次増やす。現在はエックス線撮影装置の一部機種を生産しており、工場内に増設の余裕があるという。(07:00)

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海藻サラダでも産地偽装容疑　長崎の会社など捜索

　外国産原材料を混ぜた海藻サラダに長崎県五島列島産と誤認させる表示を付け販売したとして、佐賀県警は25日、不正競争防止法違反の疑いで、長崎県佐世保市の食品販売会社「五島フーズ」と、製造を請け負った佐賀県伊万里市の食品加工会社「ワールドフーズ」の２社と関係先を家宅捜索した。

　調べによると、両社は共謀し、フィリピン産やカナダ産の海藻を混ぜて製造した海藻サラダに「長崎県五島列島」と表示、インターネット通販やスーパーなどで販売した疑い。サラダは商品名「彩」で、佐賀県の調査によると、昨年10月以降だけで約5800袋が出荷され、14都県に流通したとみられる。〔共同〕 (15:02)

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羽田空港：拡張後、パリに定期直行便　１日１往復ずつ

　国土交通省は、羽田空港の拡張工事が完了する１０年１０月以降、パリとの間で定期直行便を運航することで日仏両国が合意したと発表した。両国航空会社が１日１往復ずつ運航する。羽田発の欧州方面定期便が復活するのは、７８年に成田空港が開港して国際線が羽田から成田に移管されて以来約３０年ぶり。羽田空港の発着時間帯は、午後１０時から午前７時の深夜早朝枠を使う。日本側では、日本航空が就航に意欲を見せている。

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武漢－関空の直行便就航へ　関西広域機構の交流団、湖北省と合意文書
2008.10.25 21:17

　関西経済界と関西を中心とする地方自治体でつくる関西広域機構（秋山喜久会長）の交流団が２５日、中国湖北省武漢市を訪問し、同省の李鴻忠省長と武漢－関空の直行便就航に最大の努力を尽くすことなどを確認、同省政府と「両地域の互恵の協力関係樹立に向けて共同で努力する」とした合意文書に調印した。

　今回は日中平和友好条約締結３０周年を記念した交流事業の一環で、関西の官民が一体となって中国内陸部で発展が著しい大都市と交流を深めるとともに、関西をアピールするのが目的。

　交流団には団長の秋山会長はじめ、副団長の山田啓二京都府知事、奈良県の荒井正吾知事らが参加した。武漢市は１１月公開予定の映画「レッドクリフ」に登場する三国志の赤壁の古戦場が近くにあることでも知られる。

　市内のホテルで開かれた調印式の後、秋山会長が「今回の成果として双方の協力関係がさらに深まることを期待する」とあいさつ。李省長は「学生の修学旅行先に関西を選ぶなど教育交流から着手したい。また、環境重視の社会づくりは学ばなければいけない」と述べ、多方面での交流が進む効果に期待を寄せた。

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東京・三宅島復興イベント：「ホンダが妨害」都知事抗議へ

　東京都の石原慎太郎知事は２４日、「三宅島復興のためのバイクイベントをホンダが妨害した」としてホンダの福井威夫社長に抗議に行くと述べた。ホンダ広報部は「イベントを妨害した事実は一切ない」と反論している。

　このイベントは１７～１９日に島で開かれた「チャレンジ三宅島’０８モーターサイクルフェスティバル」。都の支援で三宅村などが主催したが、石原知事は開会式で「（ホンダが）モーター関係のメディアに『（イベントの）記事を載せたら広告を出さない』と言い渡している」などと発言。２４日の定例会見でも「（妨害の話は）何人もの人たちに聞いた。社長に抗議に行きます」と明言した。【須山勉】

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マツカワ：カレイの王様…緑の光で成長促す　養殖法で期待

　「カレイの王様」と呼ばれるマツカワの稚魚が、緑色の光で早く成長することを、高橋明義・北里大教授（海洋分子生物学）と、山野目健・岩手県内水面水産技術センター主任専門研究員の研究チームが発見した。緑の光が、食欲を増すホルモンの分泌を促しているとみられる。手軽で効率のいい養殖法として期待される。

　実験では、マツカワの稚魚６０匹を４群に分け、自然光と、色付きフィルターで自然光を赤、青、緑に変えた光をあてた水槽で、それぞれ１４週間育てた。すると緑の光の群は、自然光に比べ体長が６％、体重も１６％大きくなった。赤と青は自然光と差がなかった。

　研究チームは０３年、白い水槽で育てたマツカワの成長が、黒い水槽より早いことを発見。脳内で、メラニン凝集ホルモンが大量に分泌されていた。このホルモンには食欲増進作用がある。緑の光で育てたマツカワでも、同じことが起きている可能性があるという。

　マツカワはカレイの一種で、北海道から東北にかけての太平洋に分布する。味はいいが漁獲量が極めて少なく「幻の魚」と呼ばれる。養殖もできるが、出荷まで稚魚から２～３年かかる。高橋教授は「薬や遺伝子組み換えなどに頼らず、早く育てる方法になりそうだ」と話す。【元村有希子】

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家事ロボット：東大とトヨタなど開発　報道陣に公開

　ワイシャツをつまんで洗濯機に入れたり、いすをどけて机の下を掃除する人型ロボット（身長１５５センチ、重さ１３０キロ）を、東京大とトヨタ自動車などが開発し、２４日、報道陣に公開した。少子高齢化に対応するため、１台でさまざまな家事をこなすロボットの第一歩として注目される。

　従来のロボットは、衣類のような柔らかい物を持つのは苦手だった。そこで、研究チームは目の位置にカメラを搭載し、しわをみつけることで洗濯物と認識できるようにした。衣類を誤って落としても再び拾うなど失敗を認識しやり直すこともできる。内蔵コンピューターで行動が制御され、外出時にやっておいてほしい複数の家事を指示しておくと、帰宅時までに完了してくれるという。

　デモでは、カップや皿が載ったトレーを卓上から台所まで運ぶ▽洗濯物を集めて洗濯機に入れる▽掃除用具を持って移動しながら床をふく－－といった一連の作業をこなした。　ただ、作業がゆっくりで、動作がぎこちない。開発した稲葉雅幸教授は「作業の効率化や稼働時間の延長などが課題」と話す。【下桐実雅子】

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政府管掌健康保険：「協会けんぽ」に　医療費減狙い、保険料に差
　◇来年度以降、都道府県別に改定　受診抑制の懸念も

　サラリーマンの公的医療保険制度が曲がり角を迎えている。中小企業の会社員らが加入する政府管掌健康保険（政管健保）の運営は、社会保険庁から新組織「全国健康保険協会（協会けんぽ）」に移管され、これまでの全国一律の保険料が都道府県単位に切り替わる。大企業の健康保険組合も、後期高齢者医療制度の影響で財政が軒並み悪化し、解散する組合が相次いでいる。【中西拓司】

　会社員の公的医療保険は勤務先によって異なる。勤務先に健康保険組合があればそれに加入するが、ない場合は社保庁の政管健保に加入していた。政管健保の加入者は今年３月末で３５９４万人で、今月からそのまま協会けんぽに運営が引き継がれた。不祥事が相次いだ社保庁改革の一環だ。

　移行に際し加入者の手続きは必要なく、保険証もそのまま使える。患者の窓口負担（３割）も同じだ。ただ、退職後もそのまま制度に加入する「任意継続」などの手続きは、社会保険事務所から協会けんぽの各都道府県支部に変わった。

　最大の変更点は保険料の仕組みだ。現在の保険料率は、政管健保時と同じ全国一律の８・２％（社員と会社で折半負担）だが、各支部ごとに独自の保険料率を設定できるようになった。

　各支部は今後１年以内に、各都道府県の医療費を反映した保険料率を設定する。都道府県間で医療費削減を競わせ、全体の医療費支出を抑制する狙いがある。

　では、保険料率はどう変わるのか。厚生労働省の試算によると、０３年度時点で１人当たりの医療費が最も高い北海道の場合、保険料率は現行より０・５ポイント増の８・７％になる。最低の長野は０・６ポイント減の７・６％で、最大１・１ポイントの差がある。

　加入者の平均標準報酬月額２８・４万円（今年４月時点、ほぼ月収に相当）でみると、保険料の自己負担額は北海道が月１万２３５４円、長野が月１万７９２円。北海道在住者は長野より月約１５００円多く保険料を支払わなければならない計算になる。

　各支部は特定健診・保健指導（メタボ健診）や安価な後発医薬品の推進などで、医療費抑制に努めるが、寒冷など地域特有の問題もあり、効果は限定的との見方がある。

　都道府県ごとに保険料率が変わるのは早くて来年４月以降だ。今後５年間は上限を設けるなどの激変緩和措置がとられ保険料率に大差は出ない見込みだが、その後は格差が際立つ可能性が高い。

　日本医師会の中川俊男常任理事は「住所によって負担に差が出る可能性があり、後期高齢者医療制度以上の混乱も予想される。受診抑制につながる恐れもある」として、健保組合なども含めた医療制度全体の改革を求めている。

　一方、慶応大の駒村康平教授（社会保障論）は「むしろ全国一律だった今までの方が問題。各都道府県の取り組み次第で保険料率に一定の差が出ることは容認できる」と話している。
　◇健保組合、後期高齢者制度で財政悪化

　健保組合は福利厚生面で協会けんぽより手厚いサービスが受けられる。主に大企業が独自に設け、１社単独なら社員７００人以上を条件に国の認可を受けられる。加入者は昨年度末現在、約１５００組合３０４７万人だ。

法的給付以外に人間ドックの補助や、傷病手当、出産手当など独自の上乗せ制度がある。平均保険料率は今年度７・３９％で、政管健保より低い組合が多い。

　ただ、今春始まった後期高齢者医療制度で前期高齢者（６５～７４歳）の納付金が課せられるようになったため、財政が悪化し解散する組合も出ている。今年度に解散したのは西濃運輸、京樽など１３組合。来春までにさらに４組合が解散予定だ。今年度に保険料率を引き上げた組合も１５７に上り、経費削減のため傷病手当の補助などをカットする組合も出ている。健保組合連合会の鈴木克恵理事は「今後、財政悪化で持ちこたえられない組合が増える可能性がある。後期高齢者医療制度見直しを政府に求める」と話す。

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
　◇全国健康保険協会（協会けんぽ）

　社保庁から医療保険業務を受け継ぐ非公務員型の公法人。理事長は小林剛・元富士銀行（現みずほ銀行）常務。「民間ノウハウの活用」を掲げるが、職員約２１００人のうち民間採用はわずか３００人。社保庁からの再就職組が１８００人を占める。これには有名人の年金記録をのぞき見するなどして懲戒処分を受けた７１人も含む。年金業務は１０年に設立される「日本年金機構」に継承されるが、こちらは処分者の再就職は見送られる方針。

＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝＝
　◇都道府県別の保険料率の試算◇

北海道　８．７
青森　　８．２
岩手　　８．１
宮城　　８．０
秋田　　８．３
山形　　７．９
福島　　８．０
茨城　　７．８
栃木　　７．９
群馬　　７．８
埼玉　　７．８
千葉　　７．８
東京　　７．９
神奈川　８．０
新潟　　７．９
富山　　８．２
石川　　８．３
福井　　８．０
山梨　　７．９
長野　　７．６
岐阜　　８．０
静岡　　７．９
愛知　　８．０
三重　　８．０
滋賀　　７．９
京都　　８．０
大阪　　８．２
兵庫　　８．１
奈良　　８．２
和歌山　８．２
鳥取　　８．１
島根　　８．２
岡山　　８．２
広島　　８．３
山口　　８．２
徳島　　８．６
香川　　８．３
愛媛　　８．１
高知　　８．３
福岡　　８．４
佐賀　　８．４
長崎　　８．３
熊本　　８．３
大分　　８．３
宮崎　　８．１
鹿児島　８．１
沖縄　　７．８

　（注）単位は％。０６年の厚労省試算による

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カップ春雨からメラミン検出　中国から輸入

　春雨入りカップ入りスープの草分けとして知られる食品輸入販売、龍口食品（東京・文京）は25日、中国から輸入したカップ春雨から有害物質「メラミン」を検出したとして、商品を自主回収すると発表した。検出量は2.3PPMと微量で、「人体に影響を及ぼさない量」という。

　同社によると、メラミンが検出されたのは「龍口春雨　野菜たまご」。中国福建省の「福州龍福食品有限公司」に製造委託しており、10月１日の輸入時の検体検査で混入が発覚した。

　今のところ健康被害などの報告はないという。(13:01)

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メラミン：人気「花畑牧場」生キャラメルの偽物から

　埼玉県警は２４日、スーパー「ショッピングひまわり久喜本町店」（埼玉県久喜市）が販売した生キャラメル１袋（１０粒入り）からメラミン０・５ｐｐｍを検出したと発表した。健康被害の報告はないが、県警はタレントの田中義剛さんが経営する「花畑牧場」（北海道中札内村）の人気商品（１２粒入り８５０円）の偽物とみて、混入の経緯も調べる。

　花畑牧場の生キャラメルは、昨年４月から直営店などで売られ、インターネット上で高値で転売されたこともある。花畑牧場は、ひまわりで偽物が売られているとして今月、不正競争防止法違反（虚偽表示）容疑で県警に告訴した。県警はひまわりの生キャラメル３袋の成分分析を分析会社に依頼していた。

　スーパーは「ショッピングひまわり」（本部・同県鷲宮町鷲宮４）が経営。同社によると、生キャラメルを業者から仕入れ、幸手市内の支店で包装し直し、埼玉、茨城両県の系列６店で１０粒入り５９８円で売っていた。「花畑牧場直送」と掲示したり、「今人気の生キャラメルを簡易包装することで安く提供している」と店内放送していた。同社社長は２４日夜に会見し、「花畑牧場の正規商品と思っていた」と釈明した。

　花畑牧場の田中社長は「当社製品からメラミンが検出されたことはない」とのコメントを出した。【浅野翔太郎、飼手勇介】

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中国製食品：サイゼリヤのメラミン問題　千葉の高校生、４１１１円だまし取る
　◇食べてないのに「ピザ代返金」要求　ネットで騒ぎになり…警察に申し出

　イタリアンレストランチェーン「サイゼリヤ」のピザにメラミンが混入した問題で、千葉県立高校３年の男子生徒が、ピザを食べていないのに代金返還を求め、約４０００円をだまし取っていたことが分かった。生徒がこのことをインターネット上で告白したため、通っている高校に問い合わせが殺到し、特定された。生徒は店に謝罪して返金、県警八千代署に自ら届け出た。

　同署などによると、生徒は２１日夜、八千代市内の３店舗で、ピザ代の返金名目で計４１１１円をだまし取ったことを認めている。

　サイゼリヤはメラミン混入発覚後、レシートなしでも申し出があれば代金を返している。生徒は２１日夜、インターネット上の日記に「ピザ食ってないのに稼がせていただいた。４戦３勝」などと書き込んだ。これが匿名掲示板で集中的に取り上げられ、学校に問い合わせの電話が殺到したため、学校が生徒を特定した。

　同署は「返金済みで、反省もしている」として厳重注意にとどめ、詐欺容疑での立件は見送る。サイゼリヤ購買部は「お客様の良心に任せるしかないが、残念」とコメントしている。【駒木智一】

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東大農場、不正農薬米は９トン　文京でも研究栽培

　東京大大学院農学生命科学研究科付属農場（東京都西東京市）の水銀系農薬不正使用問題で、東大は25日午前、同農場内で記者会見を開き、水銀系農薬の使用に関する調査経過を公表した。1997―99年に水銀系農薬を使って栽培したコメは従来の説明の3.6トンを大幅に上回る約９トンに上り、大半が住民や東大生協などで販売されていたことが分かった。

　2005―08年には農学部がある東大弥生キャンパス（東京・文京）でも、イネの栽培研究に水銀系農薬を使用していたことも判明。ただ、こちらは販売はされていないという。東大は同日午後に同農場で周辺住民に調査結果や再発防止策を説明する。(13:01)

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伊藤ハム、工場で基準超える塩化シアン検出　商品を自主回収

　伊藤ハムは25日、同社東京工場（千葉県柏市）で使用する地下水を自主検査した結果、一部の水源から基準値を超えるシアン化物イオンと塩化シアンが検出されたと発表した。同社は同工場で製造した商品13品目の自主回収を始めた。

　同社によると、検出されたシアン化物イオンと塩化シアンは1リットルあたり0.02―0.03ミリグラムで、基準値（0.01ミリグラム以下）を上回った。

　同工場ではウインナーやピザなどの加工商品の製造過程で地下水を使用しているという。回収対象商品は「あらびきグルメウインナー」や「チーズインカマンベール」など。(16:36)

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「判断ミス」「認識甘かった」と幹部陳謝　シアン検出で伊藤ハム会見　 (1/3ページ)
2008.10.25 23:16

　２５日に伊藤ハムが行った記者会見での主な一問一答は次のとおり。

　－－検査の公表が遅れたが

　「１度目の検査（９月１８日）で発表すればよかった。翌月に実施予定の年に１回の検査を待っていた。異常値が出て以降、担当者ベースで調査が進んでいた。４０年間こういう事態がなかったため、検査の異常ではないかと検査を繰り返してしまったことで、組織的に経緯の把握が遅れた。工場長に報告がこない体制を見直して、すべての書類が工場長にくるようにしたい」

　－－この件での生産量は

　「１号井戸を製造に、その他の井戸水を掃除や機械の冷却に充てるなどして使い分けている。水による製造、稼働率への影響はないが、こういう報道でナーバスになる消費者の影響は予測できない。消費者の反応がシビアで量的に減ることは考えられるが、安全を確保したうえでお答えする。販売自粛は考えていない」」

　－－業績への影響は

　「はかりきれない」

　－－回収にかかる費用は

　「３億円強」

　－－９月１８日以前の商品は回収しないのか

　「６月の定期検査ではシロだった。数字が出た段階からがクロという認識。ウインナーは品質保持期限が３０日、ピザはもっと短いため、９月１８日以前のものは品質保持期限が切れている」

　－－１９４万パックの中ですでに食べられたものは

　「安全性に問題がないということで報告が遅れた（ことで、すでに食べた人がいることは）お詫びしたい。食べたあとでも袋やレシートがあれば返金に応じる。健康被害は聞いていない」

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ロス疑惑－米国の闇（上）
[特別取材]

2008年10月25日 14:48 更新

　どの国、どこの世界にも闇がある。第２次大戦後、豊かで明るく、開放的なイメージを誇った米国も例外ではない。それどころか６９年のケネディ暗殺事件以降、ウォーターゲート事件や先の９・１１など不可解な事件が多発。メディアで検証されても、決して「真相」が明かされることはない。
　そんな米国の一端を垣間見せたのが、今回再燃した「ロス疑惑」騒動だ。共謀罪に問われるはずだった三浦和義元社長の「自殺」により事件は急転直下、幕が降ろされた。

　「大統領暗殺とは比ぶべきもないが、これも米国の闇」というのは米国生活４０年以上、かって日本政財界にも関わり、渡米後は情報機関からマフィアまで幅広い人脈をもつ日本人Ｘ氏だ。
　「三浦の自殺を聞き、『ああ殺られたな』と思いました。やったのはロス市警（ＬＡＰＤ）内の極右組織。欧米のネオナチ的な考え方をもつ警察内のいわば秘密結社です。彼らは血の同盟で結ばれていて、万一、摘発されることがあっても絶対に口を割らない。裏切れば本人はもとより、家族、親族が処刑されるからです。
　映画『ダーティ・ハリー』で描かれた馨察内過激派警官グループは現実で、警察上層部もある意味で黙認というか飼っているところがある。白人至上主義者の秘密結社と思えばわかりやすい。彼らは自分たちの国が異人種や外国人たちにに引っ掻きまわされるのはガマンならない、と思っている。そんな組織内グループはＬＡＰＤだけでなく、どこの警察にもあります」（Ｘ氏）。
　同氏によれば「ロス疑惑」について、ＬＡＰＤは８１年の事件発生当時から三浦元社長を本ボシと見ていたという。

　「それは私も同じ。銃を扱える人間を探していた三浦から『自分も声をかけられた』という寿司職人らを何人も知っています。いまのリトルトーキョーは昔がウソのように安全な街になりましたが、３０～４０年前は一般犯罪はもとより、マフィア抗争で毎晩のようにドンパチ。自分が狙われなくとも流れ弾にやられるような物騒な街でした。
　飲食店でも何でも店を経営しようとすれば、マフィアと話をつけておかなければ絶対ムリ。さらに然るべき用心棒を常駐させておく必要もあった。そんなところで仕事をしようという日本人も日本人で、いわく因縁があってロスへ逃げてきたヤツとかいろいろ。相談に乗ってやった職人のなかには射撃の達人もいました」
　事件はそんな時代背景を引きずっているとき。Ｘ氏によれば、三浦元社長はそれを承知のうえでロスを舞台にしたという。

　「事件で有名になったＬＡＰＤ日系刑事のルイス・伊藤やジミー・佐古田もよく知っていますが、彼らは三浦を根っからのワルと見ていましたね。ただ、当時のＬＡＰＤにはカネがなく、それが詰め切れなかった一因です。市警へ協力しても一文にもならないから、彼らの情報収集、捜査には限界がある。その点、ＦＢＩは違う。日本の大型経済事件や有名企業絡みの容疑者が、ロス入りした後から他州へ出たとなるとＦＢＩが出てくる。彼らは有益な情報と判断すれば、領収書なしで情報提供料として５００ドル、１０００ドルくれる。それで解決した事件も多いですよ」。
　事件は３年後、『週刊文春』の「疑惑の銃弾」報道により、「ロス疑惑」として一気に燃え上がったのは周知の通り。
　「あのときは日本側がかなりの捜査費用をもち、三浦の幼少期からの犯歴資料も提供しています。そして押し寄せる日本マスコミと脚光を浴びる日系刑事たち。それを署内極右組織が苦々しく見ていたのは間違いない。それは彼ら組織の人間にかぎらず、ＬＡＰＤ全体にありましたね。自分たちの街が外国人犯罪の舞台にされ、そのために働かされ、税金を使っているのは理不尽ということです。【ジャーナリスト＝恩田勝亘】

つづく

［プロフィール］
恩田勝亘（おんだ・かつのぶ）
1943年生まれ。67年より女性誌や雑誌のライター。71年より『週刊現代』記者として長年スクープを連発。2007年からはフリーに転じ、政治・経済・社会問題とテーマは幅広い。チェルノブイリ原子力発電所現地特派員レポートなどで健筆を振るっている。著書に『東京電力・帝国の暗黒』（七つ森書館）、『原発に子孫の命は売れない ― 舛倉隆と棚塩原発反対同盟23年の闘い』（七つ森書館）、『仏教の格言』（KKベストセラーズ）、『日本に君臨するもの』（主婦の友社―共著）など。

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三浦元社長：遺骨が成田に到着　妻は報道陣の前を無言で

　８１年の米ロサンゼルス銃撃事件で逮捕され、ロス市警本部の留置場で１０日死亡した三浦和義・元輸入雑貨販売会社社長（６１）＝日本では無罪確定＝の遺骨が２５日夕、日本航空機で成田国際空港に到着した。

　空港では、黒いドレスに黒いコート姿の妻が、遺骨を胸に抱きかかえるようにして運んだ。集まった約５０人の報道陣の前を無言で足早に通り過ぎ、出迎えの親族と見られる男性が運転するワゴン車で空港を後にした。

　元社長の遺体は２３日にロスで火葬され、２４日にロサンゼルス国際空港を出発。妻はロスの日本総領事館を通じ「夫と共に日本に戻ることができます。夫の死（の真相）は、いまだ解明されぬままですが、いつの日か真実が明かされ、私たちの心の中に平穏が訪れてくれる時を願っております」とのコメントを出した。

　遺族は元社長の遺体を民間の病理学者に鑑定を依頼した結果、元社長は他殺だったと主張。これに対し、ロス市警は「留置場内で自殺した」と発表した。　【黒川将光、レイクウッド（米コロラド州）吉富裕倫】

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放射性物質含む合成樹脂、住宅地の倉庫に大量所持

　文部科学省は２５日、東京都文京区の住宅地に倉庫を所有する男性が、倉庫内に放射性物質を含む合成樹脂を大量に所持していたと発表した。

　男性は、放射性物質保持に必要な法的手続きを取っていなかったため、同省は放射線障害防止法違反などの疑いがあるとみて調べている。

　同省によると、所持していたのは、合成樹脂「ベークライト」の塊（縦横３センチ、高さ５ミリ、重さ１４グラム）１５万個。家庭用の入浴剤として商品化する予定だったという。含まれる放射性物質は不明だが、男性は「アクチニウム２２８」と話している。

　表面から毎時２・８～４マイクロ・シーベルトの放射線量が測定されたほか、１０メートル以内に隣接する３軒の民家から５月以降、最大で１９ミリ・シーベルトの放射線が放出されたことがわかった。

　１９ミリ・シーベルトは自然に受ける年間放射線量の約８倍だが、人体に影響はないレベルだとしている。

　男性は、今年５月から同区内の倉庫に持ち込んでいた。同省の指導で同日までに、長野県飯綱町の山林にある倉庫へ移動を完了させた。

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クロマグロ漁獲枠半減求める、大西洋国際委が報告書

　大西洋のマグロ資源の管理を行う「大西洋まぐろ類保存国際委員会」（ＩＣＣＡＴ）の科学委員会が、高級魚クロマグロの地中海と東大西洋での漁獲枠を、２００９年から現在の半分以下に削減すべきだとの報告書をまとめた。

　ＩＣＣＡＴは１１月１７～２４日にモロッコで開く年次会合で科学委員会の報告をもとに漁獲枠を見直す予定で、規制強化とマグロの価格上昇は避けられない状況だ。

　科学委員会の報告では、０７年の２万９５００トンの漁獲枠に対し、届け出のあった漁獲量は３万２３９８トン。違法操業を含めると、実際には６万１０００トンが漁獲された可能性があるという。

　科学委員会は「資源が崩壊するリスクが高まっている」と指摘、クロマグロを持続的にとり続けるには漁獲量を年間１万５０００トン以下に抑え、それを１０年超継続することを促している。

　日本では０６年、クロマグロは４・４万トン消費された。その約６割は地中海、東大西洋で日本の漁船がとったり輸入したりしたものだ。０６年１１月のＩＣＣＡＴ年次会合で漁獲枠削減が決められて以降、東京都中央卸売市場・築地市場では冷凍クロマグロの卸売価格は上昇傾向にある。

　ＩＣＣＡＴは、日本や欧州連合（ＥＵ）、米国など４６か国・地域が加盟している。