September 22, 2011 Kaneko Chairman and President Regular Meeting

【MC】

Thank you for waiting. The 71st regular press conference will now begin.

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

Thank you very much for your busy place.

Today, I will first report on the effects of typhoon No. 15.

We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused to customers by the fact that yesterday and yesterday and typhoon No. 15 traversed the Japanese archipelago, and the Expressway within our jurisdiction were closed for a long time.

In particular, Tomei Expwy Fuji IC～Shimizu IC between Out-bound in the line, under the influence of Shizuoka Prefecture Yui district of high waves, Out-bound became a long-term road closures that lines up to 20 hours and 20 minutes. In addition, ChuoExpwy Toki IC～Tajimi IC between In-bound also in the line, such as a closed to traffic affected by of 16 hours and 40 minutes of the ride surface small collapse due to heavy rain, Shin-Meishin Expressway, Hokuriku Expressway, Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway wide range of our tube, such as I was forced to close the road.

It was a large typhoon, but fortunately no major damage occurred.

As of 2 o'clock today, there are still two closed roads. At one location, the Tokai-Hokuriku Expressway is still raining and is closed to traffic. At the other location, the Odawara-Atsugi Road has been closed due to trees on the side of the road falling over and obstructing traffic, but we are rushing to process the fallen trees for opening.

In addition to urgently recovering the affected areas, we will continue to make quick efforts to release the road closures and continue to make efforts so that our customers can drive on the Expressway more safely and securely. .

 

Well then, about the current state of business in August.

Fee income in August was 49,314 million yen, up 10.5% from the same month the year before. By breakdown, high-speed trains were 44,883 million yen, an increase of 7.8%, and monotsuchi were 4,431 million yen, an increase of 47.1%. The reason for this is that the free social experiment was frozen, the holiday special discount ended at 1000 yen in rural areas, and the use of industrial transportation such as large vehicles increased.

On the other hand, the average number of passengers in August was 2,023,000 units, a decrease of 5.9% from the same month of the previous year. The breakdown is 1,580,000 units per day on high speed, a decrease of 0.9%, and Hirai's average is 439,000 units, a decrease of 20.4%. The reason for this is that the free social experiment has been frozen and the holiday special discount of 1000 yen for the local area has ended.

The ETC discount amount for this month was 30.2 billion yen, which is a decrease of 11.8% compared to 34.2 billion yen for the same month last year. The discount rate is about 38.0%.

 

Next is the construction situation.

At the last regular press conference between Gotemba JCT and Mikkabi JCT (162km) of the Shin-Tomei Expressway-Tomei Expressway, we announced the opening prospect of "We will proceed with construction aiming for opening in early summer 2012".

At present, we are enthusiastically working on pavement work and facility work, and are working to complete the countermeasure work for the three newly identified landslides by the end of this year.

 

Next is the usage status of ETC.

In the latest 9 / 9-9 / 15, the average daily number of passengers decreased by 8.4% compared to 8 / 5-8 / 11, but the daily average usage rate increased from 87.3% to 87.8%, 0.5%. It has become.

By weekday and weekends and holidays, the average weekday utilization rate increased from 87.4% to 87.9%, 0.5%, and the average utilization rate on weekends and holidays also increased from 86.9% to 87.5%, 0.6%.

The cumulative number of vehicle-mounted devices installed at the end of August increased by 0.7% compared to the end of July, increasing by 230,000 to approximately 35.43 million.

 

Next is the situation of the service area.

Sales in the service area in August were ¥ 20,285 million, 101.5% of the previous year's level. By road, Higashi-Meihan Expressway performed well with 148.8%.

Higashi-Meihan Expressway, “EXPASA Gozasho” has been well received by customers even after the summer vacation.

Breaking down sales by department, the “Food and Beverage Sales Department” decreased 99.2% year-on-year to ¥ 115 million.

A further breakdown of the "Food and Beverage Sales Division" is that the "Food and Beverage Division" was 99.3% lower than the previous year by 37 million yen, and the "Food Sales Division" was 99.2% lower than the previous year by 78 million yen. We now have.

Next, in the “service sector (rest in, bath)”, it was 63.5 billion yen, up 113.5% from the previous year.

Lastly, in the “GS division”, the refueling volume was 96.9% of the previous year's level, down from the previous year, but due to the unit price difference of 18 yen, sales increased by 8.6 million yen, 108.6% from the previous year. Has become.

The above is the current state of business in August.

 

Next, I would like to inform you of the current status of reconstruction support following the Great East Japan Earthquake.

Half a year has passed since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and until now, the NEXCO Central Japan Group has conducted water supply activities in Iwaki City, Fukushima Prefecture and Ishinomaki City, Miyagi Prefecture. In response to a new request from Shinchi-machi, Soma-gun, Fukushima Prefecture, a total of 100 people will be dispatched from September 5 for about one and a half months to extend the town road, farm road, and life road. We will carry out support activities such as weeding about 31 km, debris removal from gutters, and debris removal.

As a NEXCO Central Japan Group, we will continue to support the disaster area in the early days of reconstruction.

 

The next topic is measures to solve traffic congestion.

From the Tomei Expwy Otowa Gamagori IC, which was announced at the regular press conference in February this year, is the work to prevent traffic congestion at Toyota JCT, but the preparation work to set up a new emergency parking zone, etc., which we have been working on since the spring, has also progressed smoothly, and the Tomei intensive work has been completed. Since then, it has been provisionally operated with three lanes.

In the section from The Otowa Gamagori IC in Tomei to Toyota JCT, severe traffic jams and associated accidents have occurred during the morning and evening commuting hours, golden week, summer vacation, and other congestion periods, and we have implemented various measures such as providing speed recovery information using LED information boards. If the Shin-Tomei ExpwyGotemba JCT to Mikkabi JCT will partially open in early summer next year, traffic volume is expected to increase, Since further deterioration of traffic congestion is expected, it will be temporarily operated by three lanes until the opening of the Shin-Tomei Expwy in Aichi Prefecture. In addition, please be careful when using it because the lane width is narrow and the speed limit is 60km / h.

Tomei intensive construction will be carried out from October 11 to October 21 in the section from Tokyo IC to Toyota IC.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused by congestion and congestion during the intensive construction period, but by concentrating the work in a short period of time, the number of constructions per year and the number of construction congestions can be significantly reduced. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We have handed out a leaflet of Tomei intensive construction, so please check it.

 

Next topic.

October 1st is the anniversary of our founding. Every year, on the anniversary of our founding, we are holding an event, "Going Highway," to give Expressway a feeling of closeness, with gratitude to our customers. This year, it will be held on October 1, 2nd, 15th and 16th at 17 venues including Tomei Expwy Ebina service area Out-bound line.

We have prepared a variety of menus, including a corner where you can take a commemorative photo on a Expressway patrol car or lift car that you cannot usually touch. If you look at the back of the document, the contents of the event are described. I would like to introduce the characteristic ones: In the Tomei Expressway / Ebina service area Out-bound line, there is a super drum performance supervised by Mr. Shuichi Hidano, a drummer who has a performance record at the final opening ceremony of the FIFA Soccer World Cup Japan-Korea tournament, and Kamigo. A chain saw art demonstration will be conducted on the service area In-bound line. In addition, there will be a competition of the three major folk songs of Toyama on the Hokuriku Expressway / Arisumi Sea Service Area In-bound Line.

When you go out during the autumn holiday season, please stop by these events and have a good time.

 

Next, I would like to talk about our CSR activities.

We have already announced on September 9, but we will inform you again.

The NEXCO Central Japan Group has been engaged in CSR activities mainly in Expressway spaces such as the "Highway Midorinosato Project" until now, but this time, "Reinforcement of regional cooperation, community and economic To further promote “contribution”, we decided to expand CSR activities outside the Expressway space.

Specifically, in the three areas near the service area of the Shin-Tomei Expwy, which will open in early summer next year, the local people and our group employees will collaborate on rural development work to revitalize rural areas.

We plan a total of 9 activities this year, and the first activity will be on Saturday, September 24th, the day after tomorrow, in the Miyakoda area of Hamamatsu City, Shizuoka Prefecture, with local people and rice paddy ridges. We will carry out activities to plant cluster amaryllis and mow abandoned cultivated land.

As stated in the handed out material, we will hold an agreement conclusion ceremony from 9 o'clock, so please take a look.

 

The next topic is about the Minami Shinshu Highway Campaign.

We will also announce this from the Nagoya Regional Head Office on September 12, but we will inform you again.

In Japan in NEXCO, improvement of customer service Expressway to the purpose of achieving the activation of the regional economy through tourism promotion by utilizing, in conjunction with the South Shinshu tourism cooperation projects meeting the "Minami Shinshu Highway campaign" 9 We carry out from 16th a month.

If you apply from the special postcard attached to the brochure distributed in the service area etc. or the official WEB site of Minami Shinshu using the designated interchange in Minami Shinshu, you can draw the wonderful local specialties of Minami Shinshu and mileage by lottery It is a campaign that 1,000 points and 8,000 yen worth of Expressway driving total 100 people. Take this opportunity to take the Expressway to the fascinating South Shinshu.

 

These are the topics we have prepared today.

 

【MC】

Now, I would like to receive your questions from now on.

 

[Reporter]

It is said that the measures to reduce traffic congestion around Toyota on the Tomei Expressway will be alleviated with three lanes, but on the other hand, I was told that you are considering three lanes as a measure to reduce traffic congestion on Tomei Osaka. How is it going?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

In the Chubu district of our company, the Tomei Expressway Toyota district and the Higashimeisaka Yokkaichi district are areas of heavy traffic congestion, but we are planning to deal with them by using three lanes in both areas. The Toyota area on the Tomei Expressway is as announced today. In the Yokkaichi area of Higashi-Meihan, if you have any questions, we are proceeding with discussions with the prefecture and related organizations so that construction can be realized in the same way as the Toyota area.

 

[Reporter]

What does "provisional" mean for traffic congestion measures around Toyota?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

When Shin-Tomei Expressway opens, it will become a double network and I think that congestion can be resolved. HamamatsuInasa JCT to Toyota-higashi, which is a section of Shin-Tomei Expressway in Aichi prefecture, is scheduled to be opened within 2014 (Heisei 26). It is said to be provisional because it will return to the current two lanes after opening.

 

[Reporter]

Although I was understood to operate in crowded stage only three lanes, such as Obon period and New Year period, Shin-Tomei Expressway Are you sure you want that it continue the three-lane operation up to Aichi Prefecture to the opening of?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

exactly.

 

[Reporter]

I heard that you are calling for the driver because it will be a three lane (provisional) operation and the width of one lane will be narrowed in the announcement in February, but what kind of plan do you have specifically?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

We will inform the driver that the regulation speed will be 60 km / h by signboards and banners, and will widely distribute the driving manner guide currently being created to promote awareness and actively publicize it on our website.

 

[Reporter]

What is the current regulated speed of km / h?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

The current regulated speed is 100km / h. In the 3-lane section, the speed will be gradually reduced to 100, 80, 60 km / h from the front side, and in the 3-lane section, all will be 60 km / h.

 

[Reporter]

Does it mean that the driver will be warned that the lane width will be reduced by about 40 cm?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

The current lane width of 3.60 m will be reduced to 3.25 m and the road shoulder will be narrowed to 0.75 m, so we will proactively publicize it to our customers, focusing on local warnings.

 

[Reporter]

The new cabinet was established, and Mr. Maehara of the Democratic Party became the party's chairman of the government. I think President Kaneko has met several times in his days as Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism. NEXCO CENTRAL also promoting overseas projects such as Vietnam projects and the establishment of a new company. In connection with this, do you have any expectations that Mr. Maehara was born as the party's chairman of political regulation?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

I haven't talked directly to you since I was appointed Chairman of Maehara Masaharu. I am currently paying close attention to what kind of policy Mr. Maehara, Chairman, will come up with.

We asked you about the export of Expressway overseas, but we regard it as one of our important growth strategies. Regarding Vietnam, we are urgently discussing a Expressway project near Hanoi, Vietnam to establish an agreement with the Vietnamese government.

In addition, we already guidance Expressway by five companies owned Expressway a new company for the purpose of infrastructure export, was established on September 1. By exporting Expressway along with this, I hope to contribute to the Japanese economy as much as possible.

I hope to have the opportunity to meet and talk with Chairman Maehara.

 

[Reporter]

I think Expressway business in Vietnam has been focused on by NEXCO CENTRAL so far, but is there any advantage that 5 companies can do? . Isn't it okay to be alone?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

After all, I think it is stronger to proceed with 5 companies than to stand alone. Originally, the predecessor, the Japan Highway Public Corporation, was one unit, and it was sometimes divided into three. Also, overseas projects currently underway at each company are different. NEXCO EAST is proceeding with India as a territory. NEXCO WEST and the Shuto Expressway are underway in Indonesia. On the other hand, in the technology, Shuto Expressway roads in urban space Expressway there is technology to build, earthwork and we say either, tunnel, bridge is strong field. I think it is better to go overseas with all these strengths and good points. In addition, I think that if the other party is united and the government is behind it, it may be possible to connect to the business sooner.

 

[Moderator]

This is the end of the regular press conference. Thank you very much.