給付金に反対６３％ 内閣支持１９％ 朝日新聞世論調査

給付金に反対６３％　内閣支持１９％　朝日新聞世論調査

2009年1月11日23時21分

　朝日新聞社が１０、１１の両日実施した全国世論調査（電話）によると、政府が補正予算案に盛り込んだ総額２兆円の定額給付金について、「やめた方がよい」が６３％に達し、「政府の方針どおり配った方がよい」の２８％を大きく上回った。麻生内閣の内閣支持率は前回調査（１２月６、７日）の２２％を下回る１９％で、内閣発足以来最低となった。不支持率は６７％だった。

　目玉政策のはずの定額給付金に対し、多くの国民が拒否感を抱いていることが示され、低支持率にあえぐ麻生内閣はさらに苦境に追い込まれた。「配った方がよい」は自民支持層でも４８％にとどまり、「やめた方がよい」が４３％いた。

　また、麻生首相は定額給付金の目的について、最近の国会答弁では「景気対策」と繰り返しているが、給付金が景気対策として「有効だと思う」人は１８％にとどまり、「有効ではない」が７１％を占めた。

　内閣支持率は、１１月の前々回調査では３７％だった。前回の急落から今回さらに低下し、福田内閣で最低だった昨年５月調査の１９％と同水準まで落ち込んだ。自民支持層でも４９％しかなく、党支持者の「麻生離れ」が顕著だ。

　財政再建路線から景気対策優先に方針転換した新年度予算案の方針については、「評価する」は３３％止まり。麻生首相は予算編成による支持回復にも失敗した格好だ。景気回復を条件に３年後に消費税を増税するとの閣議決定も、「評価」は３２％と、「評価しない」の５６％を下回った。

　派遣従業員の契約打ち切りが相次いでいることを受けて、製造業への労働者派遣禁止が議論になっている。「かえって雇用が減るという意見もある」と紹介したうえで派遣禁止への意見を聞いたところ、禁止に「反対」が４６％で「賛成」の３０％を上回った。

　「いま投票するとしたら」として聞いた衆院比例区の投票先は自民２５％（前回２８％）、民主３８％（同３６％）など。民主の自民に対するリードが広がった。

　　　　　◇

　調査方法　１０、１１の両日、全国の有権者を対象にコンピューターで無作為に電話番号を作る「朝日ＲＤＤ」方式で調査した。対象者の選び方は無作為３段抽出法。有効回答は２１３８人、回答率は５８％。

-------------------------------
年越し派遣村：労組３組織も路線越え結束　裏方に徹す

　東京・日比谷公園を拠点に、仕事と住居を失った派遣労働者らを支援した「年越し派遣村」は、不況に伴う雇用問題の深刻さを強く印象づけ、通常国会の主要テーマに押し上げるなど大きな注目を集めた。企画・運営したのは市民団体や労働組合。労組は非正規社員への関心が薄く「正社員クラブ」と揶揄（やゆ）されることも多いが、路線の違いを超えて結束した。【東海林智】

　派遣村誕生のきっかけは、０８年１２月４日に都内で開かれた労働者派遣法の抜本改正を求める集会。労組のナショナルセンターである連合や全労連、全労協の三つの全国組織に加入する労組や弁護士グループが主催し、２０００人以上が参加して政府の派遣法改正案の問題点を訴えた。集会後、労働弁護団の棗（なつめ）一郎弁護士らが「労働者の生存権すら脅かされる状況なのに、集会だけでいいのか。目の前の一人を救う活動が必要だ」と支援を労組などに呼び掛け、派遣村が実現した。

　労組は８０年代の労働戦線統一問題で、連合など全国組織が分立し、そのしこりで共同行動が難しい状況が続いてきた。しかし派遣村では炊き出しの機材やテント、食材の調達のほか労働相談、医療相談などに各組合が協力した。労組幹部は「それぞれが表に出ず裏方に徹したことが成功の理由」と口をそろえる。

　背景には直接組合と関係のないＮＰＯ「自立生活サポートセンターもやい」の湯浅誠事務局長が村長に選ばれたことがある。湯浅氏は路上生活者の支援を手がけ、生活保護申請で一緒に自治体窓口に出向いて折衝する活動を続けてきた。この経験が、宿泊施設の確保を巡る厚生労働省などとの折衝や生活保護の一斉申請に役立った。労組幹部は「いったん動き出した活動をどうまとめ上げるかが最も難しい。派遣村は理想的だった」と話す。

　労組幹部同士がささいな活動方法を巡ってぶつかりそうになる場面もあった。全国組織の幹部は「１７００人ものボランティアが集まり全国から注目を集めている。正規も非正規も働く者の連帯が大事だと思った」と振り返る。湯浅氏は「労組と市民が手を組んで行動を起こしたことに意味があった。次につなげたい」と話した。

-------------------------------
ＮＹでホームレス家族が急増　景気後退で過去最多に

　米景気後退の余波で金融危機の震源地となったニューヨークのホームレスが急増している。昨年11月末、市内のシェルター施設に入居する家族連れのホームレスは9700世帯を超え、記録が残る過去25年間で最多となった。

　非営利団体「ホームレスのための連合」によると、シェルターに入居するホームレスの総数は約3万6000人で、このうち子どもが1万 6000人近くを占める。金融危機が深刻化した9月には、新たにシェルターに入居する家族が月1400世帯を突破し、過去最多を更新。その後も高水準が続いている。

--------------------------------
12:30 GMT, Sunday, 11 January 2009
Prince's racist term sparks anger
Prince Harry

Prince Harry's racist remark about a Pakistani member of his army platoon has prompted widespread criticism.

The prince issued an apology after the News of the World published a video diary in which he calls one of his then Sandhurst colleagues a "Paki".

Cabinet minister John Denham said it was "offensive", while the Ramadhan Foundation called the prince a "thug".

St James's Palace said he had used the term "Paki" as a nickname about a friend and without any malice.

The prince filmed parts of the video and in another clip, he is heard calling another cadet a "raghead".

He had to apologise in 2005 for wearing a swastika armband to a party, which offended many Jewish people.

'Unfortunate timing'

The video obtained by the News of the World shows Harry while still an officer cadet at Sandhurst military academy.

"Bullying and racism are not endemic in the Armed Forces"
MOD spokeswoman

Profile: Prince Harry

Reaction to prince's racist term

Prince's apology for racist comment

It was filmed in front of other cadets at an airport departure lounge as they waited for a flight to Cyprus to go on manoeuvres.

The newspaper said the prince, who is third in line to the throne, had called the soldier "our little Paki friend".

BBC royal correspondent Daniela Relph said this was an extremely embarrassing episode for the prince and the Royal Family.

She said the emergence of the three-year-old video was "unfortunate timing" for Harry, whose image had greatly improved since he served in Afghanistan last year.

Prince Harry, smiling at the Queen, and Ahmed Raza Khan, bottom right, at their Sandhurst passing out parade in 2006.

"That was a real step up for him, a real sense of maturity that people could see," she said.

She added that as a member of the Royal Family, Prince Harry was held to a certain standard, and everything he said and did was scrutinised "regardless of whether it was banter among colleagues or something that was being used by lots of other people he was working with".

'Absolutely disgusting'

Politicians and Muslim groups are among those to have condemned the prince's remarks.

Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg said the words would have caused "considerable offence", while Tory leader David Cameron said it was "a completely unacceptable thing to say".

Aki Nawaz, musician and political activist, said: "It's absolutely disgusting and I think he should be dismissed from the MoD. We don't accept these things, we've had to live with this for 40 years."

A statement from St James's Palace, with regards the term "Paki", said: "Prince Harry fully understands how offensive this term can be, and is extremely sorry for any offence his words might cause.

"However, on this occasion three years ago, Prince Harry used the term without any malice and as a nickname about a highly popular member of his platoon.

"There is no question that Prince Harry was in any way seeking to insult his friend."

The statement continued: "Prince Harry used the term 'raghead' to mean Taleban or Iraqi insurgent."

A man told BBC Radio Five Live the cadet concerned was his nephew, Ahmed Raza Khan, from Pakistan, who served with Prince Harry at Sandhurst for one year as a Commonwealth cadet.

Iftikhar Raja said his nephew, now a captain in the Pakistani army, would have risen above such terms and had not mentioned the incident to his family.

Mr Raja said: "At no time he told us that he was called Paki or he was a good friend of Prince Harry, I mean, although they served together that is true.

"But I myself am a British subject, I am proud to be British and if someone called me Pakistani I would be proud to be called that, but Paki is definitely a derogatory remark."

He added: "We expect better from our Royal Family on whom we spend millions and millions of pounds for training and schooling."

Captain Ahmed Raza Khan graduated with Harry from Sandhurst in 2006 receiving a special award from the Queen for being the best overseas officer cadet.

'Disturbing allegations'

The Army has been trying to recruit soldiers from ethnic minority backgrounds as these are currently under-represented in the services.

A spokeswoman for the Ministry of Defence said: "Neither the Army nor the Armed Forces tolerates inappropriate behaviour in any shape or form.

"The Army takes all allegations of inappropriate behaviour very seriously and all substantive allegations are investigated.

"We are not aware of any complaint having been made by the individual. Bullying and racism are not endemic in the Armed Forces."

A spokeswoman for the Equality and Human Rights Commission said: "These appear to be disturbing allegations and we will be asking the MoD to see the evidence, share that evidence with us and their plans for dealing with it.

"We will then consider what further action might be necessary."

----------------------------
日本の成長力、低下を懸念　民間が試算

　日本経済の成長力を示す潜在成長率が下がる懸念が強まっている。国内総生産（ＧＤＰ）統計をもとにした民間調査機関の試算では、2008年度の潜在成長率は1％台前半と、政府・日銀がみている水準の「1％台半ばから後半」より低くなった。設備投資の減少に加え、技術進歩や新サービスの創出といった構造改革を通じた生産性向上が滞っていることが背景。人口減少期に入った日本が経済成長を続けるには、企業の活力を高める規制改革などが求められる。

　民間調査機関は08、09年度の実質経済成長率が2年連続でマイナスになるとの予想で一致している。これを前提に三菱総合研究所が試算したところ、08 年度の潜在成長率は1.2％と、07年度（1.6％）に比べ0.4ポイント下がった。足元で設備投資が急減速している要因が大きく、09年度は0.9％と 9年ぶりに1％を割り込む。(12:16)

--------------------------------
東証・大証、上場廃止基準を緩和　時価総額下限４割引き下げ

　東京証券取引所と大阪証券取引所は、時価総額が一定額を下回った企業を上場廃止や1部から2部に指定替えにする基準を緩和する方針を固めた。世界的な金融危機を受けて株価が急落し、基準に抵触する企業が急増しているためだ。東証1、2部の上場銘柄は現在、月末または月中平均の時価総額が10億円を下回った場合、その後9カ月の猶予期間内に水準が回復しなければ上場廃止となる。この基準を4割引き下げ、6億円とする方向で最終調整する。

　時価総額は株価と発行済み株式数をかけあわせて算出する数値で、上場企業の市場価値を示す。時価総額基準には、市場の信認を得られない企業を退出させることで上場企業に経営改善努力を促す目的があり、東証では2003年に導入した。

-------------------------------
大手小売業、アジアから調達拡大　中国依存から分散

　大手小売業が中国以外のアジアから商品調達を強化する。イトーヨーカ堂と青山商事がベトナムやミャンマーからの衣料品輸入を本格化。西友は住居用品をインドなどから購入し始めた。地理的に近く生産技術も高い主要調達先の中国で人件費が上昇。景気悪化で消費者が節約志向を強めるなかで商品を値ごろな価格で販売し続けるため、急速に進んだ円高を利用し調達先を多様化する。

　ヨーカ堂は衣料品や服飾雑貨で日本メーカーを通さないアジア直輸入の仕入れ額を2009年2月期に前期の2倍以上に拡大する。現在は中国製が9割。10 年2月期は全体の仕入れ額を増やすとともに、中国より仕入れ価格が15―20％安いベトナムやミャンマー、バングラデシュなどからの輸入比率を3割に高める。(14:15)

-------------------------------
アフガン首都、日本主導で再開発計画　政府が貢献策

　政府は米欧諸国などが「テロとの戦い」の最前線として重視するアフガニスタンの復興を支援するため、新たな貢献策を固めた。復興の鍵を握る首都カブールの再開発計画を日本主導で策定、2025年までの完了を目指して資金・技術面から協力する。現地で復興支援に当たる政府職員の新規派遣やテロ対策への資金協力も盛り込み、治安と経済の両面から貢献する姿勢を示す。

　アフガン問題は今月20日に発足するオバマ次期米政権にとっても外交上の優先課題になる。政府は今回の追加貢献策を次期米政権に説明し、連携を呼びかける方針だ。(11日　07:00)

--------------------------------
犬射殺：男性襲ったのは隣町で逃げた闘犬用の土佐犬　愛知

　愛知県稲沢市で１０日夜、犬の散歩をしていた男性（３９）を襲い、県警稲沢署地域課の男性巡査（２５）に拳銃で射殺された大型犬は、同署の調べで１１日、現場から南約４．５キロの同県甚目寺町の建築業の男性（５８）方から逃げた土佐犬と分かった。

　調べでは、この土佐犬は闘犬用として育てられていた３歳の雄。飼育施設の高さ約１．５メートルの鉄さくを乗り越えて逃げ出したとみられ、飼い主の男性は１０日午後９時ごろに犬がいなくなっていることに気づき、捜していたという。

------------------------------
ドキュメント：官邸動かした派遣村（その１）　与野党超え、電話リレー

　今月２日夜、厚生労働省は東京・日比谷公園の「年越し派遣村」に集まった失業者向けに異例の講堂開放に踏み切った。失職と同時に人間の生存基盤までも脅かす経済危機の深刻さが、具体的な姿となって都心に表れ、与野党の議員と政府を突き動かした。

　派遣村の湯浅誠村長（３９）＝ＮＰＯ「自立生活サポートセンターもやい」事務局長＝は焦っていた。入村者の数が予想を上回り、用意したテントからあふれ始めたからだ。

　２日朝、隣接する厚労省に出向き、ロビーの使用許可などを文書で求めたが、正月休みで応対できる職員がいなかった。湯浅氏の電話作戦が始まった。

　副厚労相の大村秀章氏は、地元・愛知県での新年会回りを終えた午後１時ごろに電話を受けた。「１００人以上オーバーしています。夜は気温が下がるので何とかしてほしい」。２人は年末にテレビの討論番組で同席し、互いの連絡先を教え合っていた。

--------------------------------
ドキュメント：官邸動かした派遣村（その２）人があふれている－－異例の講堂開放

　「分かった。今から東京に行く」と大村氏は新幹線に乗った。

　民主党の菅直人代表代行は、同党の山井和則衆院議員経由で要請を受けた。京都にいた山井氏は「今晩にはテントが足りなくなる」と湯浅氏から聞き、党緊急雇用対策本部長の菅氏につないだ。

　菅氏は舛添要一厚労相に電話で「今晩が問題なので早く動いた方がいい」と伝えると、午後１時半に東京・吉祥寺の自宅を出て日比谷に向かった。車中で首相官邸を動かす必要があると考え、定期的に会談している自民党の加藤紘一元幹事長を頼った。「官房長官に話をしたいので仲立ちをお願いしたい」

　加藤氏は河村建夫官房長官に「野党が後ろにいると思わないで話を聞いた方がいい」と進言し、河村氏は「政府としてもできる限りのことをする」と菅氏に電話で伝えた。

　厚労省に到着した大村氏は、夕闇が迫る中、幹部職員らと対策を協議していた。大谷泰夫官房長らは「正月休みは今日で終わりだ」と三々五々集まった。

　「生活困窮者への対応は基本的に自治体の仕事です。中央政府の施設を宿泊に提供したことは戦後の混乱期もなかったはずです」。官僚たちは難色を示したが、適当な受け入れ施設はいまだに見つかっていなかった。

　大村氏は「これで麻生政権をつぶしたと言われたらどうするんだ。万策尽きたから開けるぞ」と宣言し、講堂の開放を決めた。

　午後６時半ごろ、湯浅氏の携帯電話が鳴った。「私の判断で講堂を開けます」。大村氏の声だった

----------------------------------
ドキュメント：官邸動かした派遣村（その３）　「すぐやれ！」叫ぶ村民　世論を意識、議員奔走

　野党の議員たちが相次いで駆けつけた２日午後、東京・日比谷公園の「年越し派遣村」は寝床のない失業者と支援のボランティアであふれ返っていた。

　民主党雇用対策本部役員の高山智司衆院議員は、菅直人代表代行の指示で現場に駆けつけた。「正直言って最初はイベントくらいの感覚で行ったら、全然違った。これは大変だと思った」という。

　テントだけでなく、炊き出しの鍋や釜も足りなかった。合流した菅氏と周辺のレストランなどに調理場の提供を頼もうとしたが、正月休みで責任者がつかまらない。民主党本部ビルでの受け入れも、テナントとして入居しているため断念せざるを得なかった。

　厚生労働省で対策を練っていた大村秀章副厚労相は午後５時半ごろ、千代田区の石川雅己区長に電話で支援を頼んだ。しかし、「正月休みに急に言われても対応できない」。派遣村からあふれた人たちが野党議員とともに厚労省前でシュプレヒコールをあげ、テレビで放映される事態だけは避けたかった。

　同じころ、菅氏は隣接する中央区の矢田美英区長の携帯電話を鳴らした。「区長選で民主党も支援していたはずだ」と思い出した。「使ってない学校とかで受け入れられませんか」。矢田氏は「検討して部長に返事させます」と前向きだった。

　首相官邸サイドも独自に動いていた。

　河村建夫官房長官の秘書官は２日から日比谷公園に行き、現場の状況を把握していた。河村氏は同日、旧知のよしみでコンビニ大手「ローソン」の新浪（にいなみ）剛史社長に電話を入れ、食料の提供を頼んだ。「１０００個か２０００個のおにぎりだったら何とかなる」という答えが返ってきた。

　塩谷立・文部科学相は河村氏の指示で千代田区内に学校の空き施設がないか探したものの、回答は「難しい」。このため、河村氏は菅氏とは別に、矢田中央区長に直接電話で協力を求めた。

　「今回の件は一種の災害だと思っている。協力をお願いしたい」。すでに施設の選定に入っていた区長は協力を約束した。河村氏は自民党東京都連会長を務める石原伸晃幹事長代理にも「東京都の知事部局を動かしてほしい」と要請した。

　３日夕、東京・神山町にある麻生太郎首相の私邸。河村氏から派遣村について報告を受けた首相は「これからも支援を徹底してやってくれ」と指示した。

　支持率急落にあえぐ麻生内閣にとって、派遣村をめぐって対応を間違えれば致命傷になりかねなかった。首相周辺は「通常国会の召集が５日に迫っていたことと、マスコミの関心が高かったことが、異例の判断の理由だ」と打ち明けた。

-------------------------------
ドキュメント：官邸動かした派遣村（その４止）　国会では党略に縛られ

　４日午後３時半過ぎ、日比谷公園内で約４００人の「村民集会」が開かれた。

　講堂の使用期限が５日朝に迫っていた。村民のいらだちが募る中で、野党各党の幹部たちが集会に参加した。

　菅氏は「何年後かには、この活動が日本の雇用、労働問題の大きな転機になったと言われることは間違いない」と派遣村の意義を強調したが、言い終わらないうちに「すぐやれ！　すぐ必要なんだよ！」とやじが飛んだ。

　共産党の志位和夫委員長は「与党を巻き込んで派遣切り防止のための緊急の立法措置が必要だ」と主張。拍手が起きた。社民党の福島瑞穂党首は「派遣法の抜本改正を実現する通常国会にしよう」と呼びかけた。最後に新党大地の鈴木宗男代表が「雇用と宿舎を確保するための国会決議を出そうじゃありませんか」と提案すると、熱気に押されるようにその場で全野党幹部による文案作りが始まった。

　決議の原案には「このままでは路上での死亡者が出る」とのくだりがあった。しかし、自民、民主両党の調整過程で削除され、７日の参院本会議で全会一致の採択となった。現場では部分的に協力し合った与野党も、舞台を国会に移すと再び党略に縛られた。

　厚労省の調査では、雇い止めなどで職を失う非正規労働者は３月末までに約８万５０００人に上る。社員寮など住居も同時に失うのは、状況を把握できた３万５２０８人のうち２１５７人だ。

　５日以降、東京都内４カ所の施設に分散していた派遣村の失業者約５００人は、１２日から２カ所の旅館に移動する。村の実行委員会は生活保護の受給手続きが進めば、アパートなどに入居できる人が増えるとみている。ただ、派遣村を必要とする日本の雇用環境は何も変わっていない。

　舛添要一厚労相は５日の記者会見で「個人的には」と断ったうえで、０４年に解禁された製造現場への労働者派遣を再び禁止すべきではないかと問題提起した。ただ与党内では「今禁止したら、雇用切り捨ての口実になる」「企業にとっては雇用の柔軟性も大事だ」などと否定的だ。

　派遣村の湯浅誠村長は「企業はまさにこういう時のために非正規労働者を増やしてきたのだから、自浄作用は期待できない。派遣村のモデルを全国に広げたい」と話している。

--------------------------------
政治献金：暴力団交友３社が自民３支部に１９２万円　大阪

　「暴力団と社会的に非難される関係にある」との大阪府警の通報に基づき、府や大阪市の公共事業から排除された府内の企業３社が０５年から３年間に、自民党府内３支部に計１９２万円の政治献金をしていたことが毎日新聞の調べで分かった。１４４万円の献金を受けていた自民党府第４選挙区支部の中山泰秀支部長（衆院議員）は「府警の通報を報道で知り、問題のある企業との認識はあったが返金などの対応をしていなかった」と説明。暴力団など反社会的勢力を排除しようとする政治家の意識の有無が問題となりそうだ。

　３社は、警備会社「三友セキュリティサービス」（大阪市浪速区）と関連会社「アビエスコーポレーション」（堺市西区）、土木建設会社「阪本工営」（同）。

　０５～０７年の３支部の政治資金収支報告書によると▽三友セ社とアビエス社は毎年、自民党府第４選挙区支部に各２４万円▽三友セ社は０７年、自民党府堺市第１２支部（支部長、馬場伸幸・堺市議）に１２万円▽阪本工営は毎年、自民党府大阪市住之江区第２支部（同・東徹府議）に１２万円－－を献金した。３支部とも「献金を受けた時点で暴力団との関係は分からなかった」としている。

　さらに、馬場市議は０８年にも三友セ社から１２万円の献金があり、東府議は０３、０４年にも阪本工営から各１２万円の献金を受けたという。ともに毎日新聞の指摘を受けた後の０８年末から０９年にかけ、さかのぼって返金した。両議員は「府警の通報を知らなかった。取材を受けて知り速やかに返金した」と説明。中山議員も「返金を検討する」としている。

　阪本工営については、経営者の男（６７）が０８年５月に暴力団組員らと共謀し、堺市の解体業者に下請け参入を強要したとして逮捕、起訴されたことを受け府警が７月、府などに通報。三友セ社とアビエス社も１１月、暴力団との交友が明らかになったとして通報されている。その中で、府警は３社の経営者らが０７年、山口組幹部組長らと組幹部主催のゴルフコンペに参加するなどしていたと認定していた。【花牟礼紀仁】
　◇関係判明で返金を

　▽政治資金に詳しい岩井奉信・日本大教授（政治学）の話　事前チェックが難しいなら、暴力団との関係が明らかになった時点で速やかに返金し政党の姿勢を明確にすべきだ。

--------------------------------
労働者派遣法：雇用者責任の強化を明記へ　与野党前向き

　自民、公明両党は１１日、派遣労働者の待遇改善に向け、派遣元と派遣先の雇用者責任を強化する方向で検討に入った。派遣契約満了前に契約を打ち切る場合、再就職先のあっせんや当面の住宅確保などを義務づけるよう、労働者派遣法に盛り込む案が有力となっている。民主党など野党も前向きで、自民、公明両党は週内に新雇用対策プロジェクトチーム（座長・川崎二郎元厚生労働相）の会合を開き、具体的な検討を始める。

　これに関連し、公明党の北側一雄幹事長は１１日、テレビ朝日の報道番組に出演し、派遣労働者の解雇が増えている問題について、「派遣先企業と労働者の間に契約関係がないことが問題だ。派遣元と派遣先の責任をより明確化し、責任を連帯させる法制化をすべきだ」と指摘した。

　北側氏は具体的な雇用者責任について「再就職先のあっせんのほか、派遣先が提供していた住居から、解雇後に『すぐに出て行け』とはできない形にしないといけない」と強調した。現在、再就職先のあっせんは厚労省の「派遣労働に関する指針」にとどまっており、法律に明記することで、雇用者に対応を義務づける。

　同番組に出演した民主党の鳩山由紀夫幹事長は、雇用者責任の強化について「賛成だ。法的措置を取らないと駄目だ。派遣先と派遣元の連帯責任を明らかにする法律を作ればいい」と応じた。自民党の細田博之幹事長も１１日、東京都内で記者団に対し「すでに（与野党で）まとめようとしており、まとまる」との見通しを示した。

--------------------------------
たんぱく質：アトピーなど誘発、仕組み解明　阪大教授ら

　免疫細胞やがん細胞を活性化させるたんぱく質で、過剰に働くとアトピー性皮膚炎やがんなどを招くと考えられている「ＮＦ－κ（カッパー）Ｂ」が、活動を始める仕組みの一つを、大阪大の岩井一宏教授（生化学）と徳永文稔准教授（同）らが発見した。治療薬開発の手がかりになる成果という。１２日、英科学誌「ネイチャー・セル・バイオロジー」に論文が掲載される。

　岩井教授らは、人体の中で、不要になったたんぱく質の分解を担っているたんぱく質の一種「ユビキチン」に着目した。マウスの細胞を使った実験で、ユビキチンの分子が直列にいくつもつながった「ポリユビキチン」が、別のたんぱく質と結びついて、ＮＦ－κＢに活動を始めさせることを確認した。

　ＮＦ－κＢの活性化を抑える薬には、ステロイド剤などがある。しかし他のたんぱく質にも作用するため、さまざまな副作用が生じる。ポリユビキチンはＮＦ－κＢだけを活性化させているとみられるため、岩井教授は「ポリユビキチンの働きを抑えることができる物質を見つければ、今よりは副作用の少ない薬になる可能性がある」と話している。

----------------------------------
Ruble Falls Against Dollar as Central Bank Devalues Currency
Email | Print | A A A

By Denis Maternovsky

Jan. 11 (Bloomberg) -- Russia’s ruble fell against the dollar in the first official trading day this year as the central bank devalued the currency for the 13th time in two months and companies demanded foreign currency to repay debt.

The ruble weakened to 30.5312 per dollar in Moscow trading today, according to data from the Micex Stock Exchange. That’s a 3.7 percent decline from 29.4145 on Dec. 30, Bloomberg figures show. Bank Rossii devalued the currency against its target dollar-euro basket, said a central bank official who declined to be identified and didn’t give any other details, citing the bank’s policy. The ruble fell against the basket to 35.3 today, from 34.8 on Dec. 30.

The ruble may retreat 10 percent against the basket this month as companies and banks buy foreign currency to repay more than $80 billion of debt this year, according to Societe Generale SA. Danske Bank A/S in Copenhagen sees a 15 percent drop in the ruble by year end. The currency has weakened 23 percent against the dollar since the beginning of August.

“There’s colossal demand for foreign currency from the corporates needing to refinance,” said Evgeny Nadorshin, chief economist at Trust Investment Bank in Moscow. “If you have such an option, it is better to buy now before the ruble devalues more.”

Investors have withdrawn more than $200 billion since August because of the war in Georgia, a more than 70 percent decline in oil prices since records in July and the worst market rout since the 1998 default, according to BNP Paribas SA estimates.

Depleting Reserves

Russia’s foreign-currency reserves, the world’s third- largest, have fallen by 27 percent since August to $438.2 billion amid the central bank’s efforts to prop up the ruble. Standard & Poor’s cut Russia’s credit rating this month for the first time in nine years, citing a “rapid depletion of reserves.”

The ruble rose to 41.1317 against the euro today, Micex data show. The currency traded at 41.3233 per euro on Dec. 30, according to Bloomberg figures. Bank Rossii manages the target basket, which is 55 percent dollars and 45 percent euros, to protect exporters.

Energy producers led Russian stocks higher as trading resumed, following gains in crude since the start of the year and an accord to settle a dispute over gas shipments through Ukraine.

OAO Rosneft and OAO Lukoil, the nation’s biggest oil companies, rose more than 3 percent. OAO Gazprom jumped 3.7 percent as the world’s largest natural-gas producer prepared to resume supplies to Europe after the European Union brokered an agreement to monitor transit.

The 30-stock Micex Index added 2.6 percent to 635.4, trimming last year’s 67 percent decline, the worst annual performance since at least 2002 when Bloomberg started tracking the measure.

Recession

Urals crude, Russia’s main export blend, traded at $43.23 a barrel on Jan. 9, up from $36.24 on Dec. 30. That’s still 38 percent less than the $70 average price that Finance Minister Alexei Kudrin says is needed to balance the budget.

The decline in the crude price is pushing Russia, the world’s biggest energy exporter, toward its first recession since 1998, when plunging oil revenue forced the government to default on $40 billion of debt and devalue the ruble.

Industrial output slumped the most since 1998 in November, while unemployment surged to 6.6 percent and wage arrears almost doubled. An index of Russian service industries plummeted to a record low last month as signs the economy is heading for a recession curbed spending, VTB Bank Europe said on Jan. 6.

Russia is deploying about $200 billion in emergency funds to inject liquidity into frozen credit markets and help companies and banks refinance their debts. The government approved a list of 295 companies for priority access to state refinancing loans on Dec. 25.

-------------------------------
Al-Jazeera Said to Mull Bid for English Soccer’s Mideast Rights
Email | Print | A A A

By Tariq Panja and Simon Thiel

Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Al-Jazeera Network, the Qatar-based broadcaster that started a sports channel five years ago, may bid for the rights to show English Premier League soccer matches in the Middle East, two people with knowledge of the talks said.

The network is in talks with the league about the rights, which cover three years beginning with the 2010-2011 season, they said. They declined to be identified as the bidding process hasn’t started yet.

A deal may help Al-Jazeera lure more viewers to its sports channel and bolster advertising sales. Al Jazeera Sports, which can be watched in countries across the Middle East and North Africa, already broadcasts Spain’s La Liga and Italy’s Lega Calcio Serie A. The broadcaster also has the rights for the UEFA Champions League from 2009 to 2012.

Last time the rights were sold, Al-Jazeera lost out to pay-TV network Showtime Arabia, which shows live matches across the Middle East and North Africa. Dubai, United Arab Emirates-based Showtime Arabia is owned by investment firm Kuwait Projects Co. and Viacom Inc., the U.S. media company controlled by Sumner Redstone.

The Premier League said it will invite broadcasters to bid for the rights to show the games outside Britain once the local rights sale has been completed. The league last month sent out invitations to tender for the domestic rights for the three seasons from 2010 to 2013.

Al-Jazeera’s English soccer offering has so far been limited to FA Cup, the national knock-out competition.

International Rights

A spokesman for Al Jazeera didn’t immediately respond to calls and an e-mail seeking comment. Dan Johnson, a spokesman for the Premier League, said the process for the sale of international broadcast rights had yet to begin.

Premier League teams on average get about half their revenue from broadcast agreements that have ballooned in the past decade. The current U.K. deal for Premier League rights, worth about 1.7 billion pounds ($2.6 billion) over three years, expires in 2010.

The league’s total broadcast agreements, which include international rights, are worth 2.7 billion pounds over three seasons, ranking it as the world’s richest soccer league. The most popular teams and players, such as Manchester United and its Portuguese-born star Cristiano Ronaldo, have a global following.

Al-Jazeera, which means “The Island” in Arabic, began operations in 1996 and is financed with money from the Emir of Qatar, advertising sales and cable subscription fees. Besides the original Arabic-language flagship channel, Al-Jazeera now runs other channels including Al Jazeera Sports and an English- language news channel.

-------------------------------
London Boom Time Bill Comes Due as Bankers Buy Coffee on Credit
Email | Print | A A A

By Poppy Trowbridge and Brian Lysaght

Jan. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Jane Casulli has been selling coffee and sandwiches in London’s financial district for 10 years and survived the dot-com bust. She says this meltdown is different.

Sales at her cafe, a two-minute walk from the local offices of Swiss investment bank UBS AG, plunged 50 percent in the last two months of 2008, and some regulars are requesting monthly tabs to cover their morning lattes.

“Customers are now asking how much things cost and bringing sandwiches from home,” she says. “People aren’t leaving their offices. Every day looks like a Sunday.”

The U.K. economy may shrink more than those of the U.S., Japan and euro region in 2009 after rising house prices and easy credit led Britons to run up 1.44 trillion pounds ($2.18 trillion) of debt, making them among the world’s biggest borrowers. The country’s gross domestic product may contract by 2.9 percent this year, with as many as 2 million people claiming unemployment benefits, the Centre for Economics and Business Research, a London-based study group, said.

“What we’re seeing is a very, very serious economic decline,” said Ian Barlow, a senior partner at accounting firm KPMG LLP and chairman of London’s overseas investment agency. “The job reductions are clocking up weekly, and bankruptcies are bound to shoot up.”

The U.K. capital may lose almost 107,000 jobs by the end of 2010, according to research firm Oxford Economics. Banking, finance and insurance, which employed about 315,000 people in London last year, may cut more than 60,000 positions as a result of the credit crisis.

‘Frozen With Fear’

London contributes 18.4 billion pounds annually toward the U.K.’s public finances, or about one-fifth of total revenue, according to a study by the London School of Economics. That’s likely to drop as banks post lower earnings.

The bonus pool for bankers will slump by more than 50 percent this year from 3.6 billion pounds in 2008, according to the CEBR. They received a record 8.5 billion pounds for 2007.

The prospect of a shrinking customer base has halted plans to expand Fox & Co., a men’s clothing and accessories store a few blocks from the Bank of England. The shop, which opened in 1868, is struggling to sell brown leather briefcases priced at 800 pounds and umbrellas for 275 pounds.

“People are frozen with fear. They are still spending but much more cautiously,” said co-owner Michael Dreher. “It’s survival of the fittest.”

Surging Debt

As Britain’s 15-year economic boom ended, consumer debt rose 7.3 percent last year, amassed through mortgages, loans and credit cards, and now exceeds the country’s annual GDP.

In Germany, household debt amounts to 63.5 percent of GDP and in France it accounts for about half the country’s annual output, according to the latest figures from Eurostat, the Luxembourg-based agency that collects EU statistics.

As the credit crunch makes borrowing more expensive, consumers risk falling deeper into debt, according to Malcolm Hurlston, chairman of the Consumer Credit Counseling Service, which offers borrowers advice.

The agency received 9,000 telephone calls during one week in November -- the busiest period since the service began in 1993.

“In the last few months, credit-card debt has come up remarkably,” Hurlston said. “It’s the easiest form of credit to access to pay for essentials.”

Bankruptcies

Personal insolvency cases probably surged 20 percent to about 120,000 in 2008, according to Mike Gerrard, a bankruptcy specialist at Grant Thornton U.K. LLP in London. That’s up fivefold from the 24,000 recorded in 1997.

“Given the way the economy deteriorated in the last three months of 2008, this year could be a pretty bad one for personal insolvencies,” he said.

To combat the recession, Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling proposed the biggest fiscal stimulus in two decades Nov. 24. The plans for tax cuts and spending will add 20 billion pounds to the economy between now and April 2010. The government will also speed up 3 billion pounds of spending on infrastructure projects such as roads, schools and housing in an attempt to reinvigorate the economy.

Shrinking bonuses and rising unemployment have pushed Britain into a budget deficit of 37 billion pounds as of November, data from the Office for National Statistics show.

In an attempt to jump-start the economy, the Bank of England also cut the benchmark interest rate to 1.5 percent yesterday, the lowest since the central bank was founded in 1694.

Olympic Regret

The chancellor’s initiatives are “too little, too late” for small and medium-size business, said Stephen Quest, corporate tax partner at Grant Thornton.

Some government-funded projects, including the 2012 Olympics, the upgrade of the London Underground and a new east- west railway, are already under pressure to curb costs, said Tony Travers, a government professor at LSE.

Olympics Minister Tessa Jowell said in a November speech that the U.K. wouldn’t have bid in 2005 to host the games “had we known what we know now.”

For many consumers, the most tangible help the government is offering is a temporary, 2.5 percentage point reduction in the 17.5 percent sales tax. At Jane Casulli’s cafe, that cuts the price of a latte by 5 pence to 2.05 pounds.

Casulli says she won’t charge more to cover higher prices for basics like sandwich meat, which “shot up” last year.

“You can’t very well put up the price of a sandwich in this environment, can you?” she said. “People literally haven’t got money in their pockets.”

--------------------------------
現代自動車が受賞　北米カー・オブ・ザ・イヤー
2009.1.12 00:17

　米デトロイトでの北米国際自動車ショーの開幕に合わせて１１日、地元の専門記者が選出する２００９年の「北米カー・オブ・ザ・イヤー」は、乗用車部門が韓国大手の現代自動車の高級車「ジェネシス」、トラック部門は米大手フォード・モーターのピックアップトラック「Ｆ－１５０」がそれぞれ選ばれた。

　韓国車の受賞は初めてという。

　日本勢は昨年、トラック部門でマツダのスポーツタイプ多目的車（ＳＵＶ）が受賞したが、今年は最終選考に１台も残らなかった。（共同）

---------------------------
Half of Madoff loss borne by foreigners

By Joanna Chung in New York

Published: January 11 2009 22:03 | Last updated: January 11 2009 22:03

Roughly half the estimated losses from Bernard Madoff’s alleged $50bn “Ponzi” are being borne by non-US investors, underscoring the global scope of the carnage.

While most of the small individual investors appear to be in the US where Mr Madoff’s main business was based, some of the biggest by dollar amount were from abroad, according to an analysis of the available data.

They range from the RMF division of London’s Man Group, the world’s largest listed hedge fund, to Spain’s Banco Santander, the biggest bank in the eurozone, and Austria’s Bank Medici.

Leading banks from Britain, France and Japan have admitted in recent weeks to lending billions of dollars to funds to gear up their investments with Mr Madoff, while others created special products to help investors buy in, which provided a degree of protection.

Wealthy investors from Switzerland, Austria and Israel had company in the US, where the Wilpon family, the owners of the New York Mets baseball team, and actors Kevin Bacon and Kyra Sedgwick were among the high-profile victims.

The list has also grown to include scores of institutions. Charities, universities, pension funds – such as the West Palm Beach Police Pension Fund in Florida – and labour unions, including those representing carpenters, plumbers and electricians in upstate New York, have revealed exposures.

The wide scope of the fallout underlines the extent to which investors of all stripes have chased yield in recent years and raises questions about how investors, particularly those from outside the US, can recover funds.

“It’s clear that this is the best illustration of the herd instinct that typically overtakes investors,” said James Cox, a Duke University law professor.

“There is also a competitiveness in a large sector of investors, who don’t want to feel like a sap for getting only 7 per cent historical returns on equities when you can do better.”

The total scale of actual losses still remains unknown. Mr Madoff, who is expected to learn on Monday whether a judge will jail him before trial, gave the $50bn loss estimate in his alleged confession, which has yet to be verified by investigators.

Many believe the figure may include fabricated profits he reported to investors. Losses at New York’s Yeshiva University, for instance, amount to $14.5m though “fictitious profits” had increased the apparent value to $110m, according to the school.

Prosecutors, who want his bail revoked for allegedly violating a court order freezing his assets, have only said in a court filing that it was likely that thousands of victims have lost a sum in the billions of dollars. Under the bail conditions, Mr Madoff is under house arrest in his Upper East Side Manhattan apartment.

The latest tally by Bloomberg shows that investors had about $42bn invested with Mr Madoff’s firm, though in some cases individual investors and bank losses may overlap with amounts in investment funds.

Indeed, a majority appears to have invested – either knowingly or unknowingly – through third parties such as “feeder” funds, which channelled money to Mr Madoff. US-based Fairfield Greenwich and Tremont Capital, two of the biggest, alone account for about a quarter of the $42bn total.

Some high-profile investors, such as Hollywood director Steven Spielberg’s Wunderkinder foundation and several charitable organisations that face ruin, went in through the more traditional route of their long-standing financial advisers.

“The first time I heard the name Bernie Madoff was about three weeks ago when I found out that, you know, he had swindled all this money,” Jeffrey Katzenberg, chief executive of DreamWorks Animation, recently told CNBC.

JP Jeanneret Associates, an investment adviser to pension funds, welfare funds, unions and annuity funds in New York state, said last week that Mr Madoff’s firm was one of the managers it had used in its investment programmes over the years. Now it is trying to determine the scope of the losses it and its clients have suffered.

“One effect of the scandal will be to reinforce the value to investors of the strong protections that are characteristic of publicly offered funds,” said Paul Stevens, president of the Investment Company Institute, a trade association representing US mutual funds.

---------------------------------
Prolonged misery for Europe after gas deal collapses

8 mins ago
AFP Dario Thuburn

* Print Story

Europe's energy crisis deepened Monday as the failure to resolve a bitter dispute between Russia and Ukraine left hundreds of thousands enduring a second week of freezing conditions without heating gas.

Russia defied the European Union by refusing to resume gas supplies transiting through Ukraine as huge swathes of Europe froze and EU energy ministers gathered in Brussels for emergency talks.

An EU-brokered accord on terms for Russia to resume gas supply collapsed when Russia accused Ukraine of secretly altering the deal, prolonging one of Europe's worst energy crises

"I am ordering the government not to accept the document signed yesterday," Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in televised remarks late Sunday.

"We are obliged to consider the document signed as null and void."

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso and Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolanek, who negotiated the accord on behalf of the EU presidency, had expected Russia to resume supplies immediately.

Central Europe and the Balkans suffered for a sixth consecutive day from the abrupt cut-off of Russian natural gas supplies that has left homes without heat and idled factories and schools.

"Moscow is clearly taking no prisoners and has gambled its image as a reliable supplier... to get the best economic and political benefits," commented the Russian daily Vremya Novostei.

The dispute between ex-Soviet giants Russia and Ukraine over gas payments and prices has raised urgent questions about the reliability of supply from Russia, which the EU relies on for a quarter of its total gas consumption.

EU energy ministers were to hold an emergency meeting in Brussels later Monday to discuss ways to resolve the crisis and "increasing European energy security," Czech Industry Minister Martin Riman said.

Medvedev and other senior Russian officials including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin charged that Ukraine had added phrases to the accord after it had been signed by Russia and the EU.

Putin telephoned Barroso on Sunday and informed him that the modifications introduced by Ukraine were "unacceptable" to Russia and then told Topolanek that Kiev should sign the deal again "without any additions or notes."

European Commission spokesman Ferran Tarradellas said later that Kiev had agreed to re-sign the paperwork, although there was no confirmation from Ukraine.

The agreement in question laid out terms for international monitors to check the flow of natural gas transiting through pipelines in Ukraine that account for the bulk of Russia's exports to customers in Europe.

Despite Russia's assertions, Valentyn Zemlyansky, spokesman for Ukraine's national gas company Naftogaz, was quoted by Interfax-Ukraine as saying that Kiev was still ready to resume transit of Russian gas to Europe.

"We confirm all prior guarantees on resuming transit and on having it monitored by independent observers," he said.

Shortly before Medvedev announced Russia's rejection of the modified agreement, the European Commission said it had "taken note of a Ukrainian declaration" it had received "in the afternoon."

Commission spokesman Ferran Tarrabellas told AFP however that, for the EU at least, the declaration changed nothing in the agreement.

The controversial Ukrainian declaration, seen by AFP late Sunday, maintains that Ukraine no longer owes money to Russia's Gazprom and denies stealing gas intended for European customers.

------------------------------
NKorean arms exports rose to 100 million dlrs last year: report

2 hours 5 mins ago
AFP

* Print Story

Exports of North Korean missiles and other weapons rose in value to about 100 million dollars last year mainly due to tensions in the Middle East, a South Korean newspaper reported Monday.

The hardline communist country saw a sharp drop in weapons exports in 2007 because of international sanctions imposed after it tested missiles and an atom bomb in 2006.

Last year the value of its overseas arms sales rose to about 100 million dollars or more than 10 percent of total exports, the Dong-a Ilbo newspaper said.

It quoted an unidentified Seoul government official as saying progress in six-party nuclear disarmament talks last year helped North Korea sell more weapons.

The paper said purchasers felt less political burden in buying such weapons because the talks had made some headway.

The Middle East, Africa, Southeast Asia and Latin America were said to be export destinations.

"Middle East countries are known to have purchased a large amount of weapons from North Korea due to a military confrontation with Israel," the official was quoted as saying.

North Korea has allegedly supplied missiles to Syria, and Washington said Iranian officials were present at the North's missile test-launches in 2006.

The South's unification ministry and defence ministry said they could not confirm the newspaper report.

The United States has accused North Korea of being a leading global proliferator of weapons. But the cash-strapped country has refused to stop missile exports, a major source of hard currency earnings.

---------------------------
Lloyds of London members said to face capital raising

Yesterday, 03:34 pm
Reuters

* Print Story

Lloyds of London , the world's oldest insurance market, has warned its members they may be forced to raise more capital to cope with the slide in the value of the pound, The Sunday Times reported.

The newspaper cited a letter to Lloyds' underwriting syndicates warning that sterling's rapid devaluation could leave a "material shortfall" in forecasts. It noted that insurers operating in the Lloyds market pay most of their claims in dollars but calculate their capital in sterling.

It said the letter reveals that capital calculations for 2009 were based on an exchange rate of $1.99 to the pound. The rate has since collapsed to $1.52 -- meaning the cost to Lloyds of paying potential claims has risen about 30 percent.

---------------------------
Hyundai's first luxury sedan wins 'best car of the year'

Yesterday, 04:32 pm
AFP

* Print Story

South Korea's Hyundai won its first "best car of the year" award at the Detroit Auto Show on Sunday for its entry into the luxury market, proving that recession does not mean foregoing frills.

The Hyundai Genesis sedan won 189 out of 500 votes from US and Canadian automotive journalists, beating out Ford's Flex and Volkswagen's Jetta TDI for the win.

"It is the perfect luxury car for bad economic times," priced below 40,000 dollars, John Krafcik, president of Hyundai Motor America told reporters.

Car buyers now "do not want to pay a premium for luxury," he commented.

The vehicle marks a "new beginning" for the company, its first global luxury sedan, equipped with its first V8 engine, "a game changing vehicle which will define our products going forward," said Hyun Soon Lee, vice chairman of Hyundai in accepting the award.

Launched in mid-2008 in North America, Hyundai has sold a mere 6,167 Genesis sedans in Canada and the United States, competing mostly with BMW's 5 Series.

A whopping 75 percent of Genesis buyers were new to Hyundai, Lee said.

He hopes the award nod drives up sales of its entire line.

"Hyundai Genesis shows that the Korean automakers have come of age," said award jurist Matt DeLorenzo of Road and Track.

A "dream car for the recession," commented Jayne O'Donnell of USA Today. "It has everything you'd want in a luxury car except the fancy hood ornament."

Ford meanwhile secured another win in the "best truck of the year" category with 259 votes for its F150, beating out runners-up the Dodge Ram and Mercedes-Benz ML320 BlueTec.

The F150 has dominated the category for 32 years.

Despite slipping truck sales, which peaked in 2005, Mark Fields, president of Ford's Americas division, told AFP that truck buyers "need the vehicles for work" and so he sees sales leveling off soon.

--------------------------------
渡米前のネット事前申請「ＥＳＴＡ」スタート

2009年1月12日17時26分

　米国にビザを持たずに短期滞在（９０日以内）する場合、インターネットで事前申請を義務づける電子渡航認証システム（ＥＳＴＡ）の運用が１２日、始まった。成田空港でも、渡米する旅行者らが航空各社のカウンターで申請の有無の確認を受けたが、大きな混乱はなかった。

　日本航空と全日空は、事前申請を忘れた旅行客のため、臨時の入力用パソコンを置き対応した。米国大使館も案内ブースを設置して新制度を説明した。新制度は、専用サイトで氏名や生年月日、パスポート番号など約２０項目の質問の回答を入力し、問題がなければ承認される仕組み。航空各社は承認の有無を旅券で確認し、出発までに承認がない場合は搭乗させない方針だ。アトランタに向かうという川崎市の男性会社員（５０）は「申請はネットで数分と簡単だったが、できればない方がいいですね」と話した。