May 30, 2012 Kaneko Chairman and President Regular Meeting

【MC】

Thank you for waiting. The 79th regular press conference will now begin.

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

Thank you for joining us in your busy schedule.

The first is the current state of business in April.

Toll revenue in April was 40,421 million yen, an increase of 17.0% year-on-year. Due to the effects of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March of last year, the freeze of free social experimentation, the end of the local area upper limit of 1,000 yen for special holiday discounts, and the effect of the new Shin-Tomei Expressway opened on April 14 this year, the same month last year. It was a plus.

On the other hand, the average number of passengers in April was 1,839,000, a decrease of 2.1% from the same month of the previous year.

Due to the effects of the free-of-charge social experimentation centered on general toll roads, overall sales decreased year-on-year.

Next is the construction situation.

In fiscal 2012, we plan to open 5 sections, including the Shin-Tomei Expressway which has already opened.

In addition, the name of the interchange and parking area of the unopened section of Ken-O Road, which is in collaboration with Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism, has been decided. Please check the document at hand for the name.

 

Next is the usage status of ETC.

From the latest May 11th to May 17th, the daily average utilization rate has increased by 0.1% from 89.6% to 89.7% compared to the previous month's April 13th to April 19th. By weekday and weekends and holidays, the average weekday utilization rate increased from 89.9% to 90.0%, 0.1%, and the average utilization rate on weekends and holidays increased from 88.8% to 89.0%, 0.2%.

The cumulative number of onboard devices installed at the end of April increased by 1.0% from the end of March, increasing by 390,000 units to about 38.03 million units.

 

Next is the situation of the service area.

April service area / parking area sales were ¥ 14,405 million, 120.5% of the previous year's level. I think this is the result of many customers using the impact of the Great East Japan Earthquake that occurred in March of last year and the new Shin-Tomei Expressway that opened in April.

By category, sales of food and beverages increased 125.9% year-on-year to ¥ 2,224 million.

A further breakdown of “Food and Beverage / Sales” is that “Food and Beverage” increased by 120.5% year-on-year to ¥ 649 million and “Merchandise sale” increased 129.0% to ¥ 1,576 million year-on-year. It has become.

Next, for "rest in," sales increased by 1 million yen, a 103.5% year-on-year increase.

Lastly, at the “gas station”, the refueling volume was 103.3% of the previous year's level, surpassing the previous year's level, and the unit price difference was a positive 4 yen. It has become.

 

The first topic is our response based on the accident on a high-speed tour bus on the Kan-Etsu Expressway.

In the tour bus accident on the Kan-Etsu Expressway at the end of last month, seven people lost their precious lives and many were injured. We pray for the souls of those who died and for the injured people to recover as quickly as possible.

In response to this accident, we decided to implement measures to further enhance safety at the same site as the accident site.

Concretely, we will carry out construction work to make continuous about 1000 places where the concrete wall and the front of the guardrail are discontinuous. We are planning to complete the countermeasure work in the next two years, and we will start immediately.

In addition, as part of traffic safety measures, we have continuously placed high-brightness lane marks with uneven ribs on the paved road surface. It is a lane mark that has a function to warn vehicles passing over it to deviate from the lane. We will continue to take measures against this, and will review and promote the priority.

In order to reduce traffic fatal accidents, we will further strengthen traffic safety awareness activities such as emergency traffic safety instruction for tourist buses and awareness raising activities by police team police cars. Please drive to.

 

The next topic is the situation for one month after the opening of Shin-Tomei Expressway-Tomei Gotemba JCT-Mikkabi JCT.

Shin-Tomei Expressway The average daily cross-sectional traffic volume for the first month after opening was Shin-Tomei Expressway was 48,000 and Tomei was 45,000. Combined with the traffic volume of Shin-Tomei Expressway and Tomei, it increased by more than 20% compared to the same period in the previous year before opening.

On the other hand, traffic volume of Tomei is a decrease of approximately 40%, Shin-Tomei Expressway We believe that conversion to have been achieved. Previous Shin-Tomei Expressway 48,000 units, Tomei 45,000 units, approximately 52-to-48 next to, I think that 55-to-45 We had predicted that or not is almost close numerical value. As a result of this traffic change, the traffic congestion of 10 km or more that had occurred 65 times in the same period last year became 4 times in Shin-Tomei Expressway Tomei and once in Tomei, a total of 5 times, and the traffic congestion decreased by about 90%.

In addition, the usage of the 7 popular NEOPASA locations was 5.93 million visitors in a month, and 2.77 million visitors during the Golden Week period. The largest number of visitors to date has reached 368,000 on May 4, with a very large number of visitors.

Sales in the service area and parking area were ¥ 2.8 billion at 13 locations in Shin-Tomei Expressway Tomei and ¥ 1.1 billion at 20 locations in parallel with Tomei, for a total of ¥ 3.9 billion. Since Tomei's sales for the same period last year were 1.6 billion yen, this 3.9 billion yen will increase 2.4 times, and the amount will increase by 2.3 billion yen. Parallel to Tomei, which was a decrease of 500 million yen was also a decrease in traffic volume, such as NEOPASA Shin-Tomei Expressway to the service area of, a lot of our customers have seen as a result of our visit as a destination. We will continue to provide better services, hold attractive events, and aim to become an area that you will want to visit again and again.

 

The next topic is the completion of the largest wind power plant on the Expressway, announced by the Kanazawa Regional Head Office on May 23.

We are promoting the use of renewable energy based on the priority measure “Control of global warming” defined in the environmental policy.

Today May 30, Expressway with the cooperation of related social contribution Council, Hokuriku Expressway to Tokumitsu parking area, I am writing to let you know that wind power generation facilities was completed.

This wind power plant has a total of 16 kilowatts of power, one Out-bound 10 kilowatts and three In-bound 2 kilowatts.

We have installed a small-scale wind power generation facility so far, but this is the first wind power generation facility that exceeds 1 kW per unit, and it will be the largest on a Expressway in Japan.

At the same time, we have installed solar power generation equipment. The total amount of solar power generation is 10 kilowatts in total, and the total amount of wind power and solar power generation is 26 kilowatts.

These renewable energies cover about 10% of the electricity used for toilets on the Tokumitsu parking area up and down lines, and reduce annual CO2 emissions by about 11.7 tons. We will continue to contribute to the environment and a sustainable society.

 

The following topics are, today, Hachioji Regional Head Office and the Nagoya Regional Head Office announced "Chuo Expressway whole line opening 30 anniversary" and I Chuo Expressway is about the memories photo large recruitment of "".

The ChuoExpwy, which was completely opened in 1982, will celebrate its 30th anniversary on November 10th this year, so we are looking for "memorial photos" and "view spot photos" as the second stage of the commemorative project.

This project calls for Komaki JCT's old "old-fashioned photos of customers and memories of Chuo Expressway" from the Takaido IC of Chuo Expressway, as well as "view spot photos" of the recent season. For those that have been awarded the Best Picture and excellent work, "is scheduled to be held in November Chuo Expressway addition to where I am allowed to be honored in the whole line opened 30 anniversary event", the winning works Chuo Expressway in such service area of Will be on display

The application period is two months until the end of July. We are looking forward to receiving many photos.

 

These are the topics we have prepared today.

 

The investigation regarding the scandals of our former employees is still ongoing. The reason why the investigation is taking a long time is that we are looking back to the time of privatization for compensation and registration of land, etc. based on income tax law violations and fraud cases. We would like to announce it as soon as possible, so please understand this.

 

【MC】

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

 

[Reporter]

Regarding the Shin-Tomei Expressway, it was 10 days after the opening at the last interview, and this time it was for one month after opening. What do you think about the current numbers again?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

We expected about 10 to 15% of induced traffic by the double network, but the actual result for the past month has increased to over 20%.

Shin-Tomei Expressway has just opened, and I think that the number of customers who want to run once has increased, leading to an increase in traffic volume and sales.

Although it may eventually converge, we hope that the customers who come to Shin-Tomei Expressway will be impressed, and we will increase it by 20% throughout the year. I think that what kind of service can be provided is an issue in order to impress customers.

 

[Reporter]

Today's announcement is the number for the first month after the opening of the Golden Week, but hasn't it fallen so much after one month?

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

Thank you for your continued support.

 

[Reporter]

I want to increase the number of users throughout the year, but it seems that there are quite a lot of Expressway trips during the summer vacation. Do you think that the usage will increase to around here?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

Golden Week was a big mountain, and I think summer vacation will be the next big mountain. In order to attract many customers, I think that it is necessary to maintain temporary parking lots and arrange instructors as well as during Golden Week, and it is necessary to urgently implement countermeasures against accidents with wild animals. I think there is.

 

[Reporter]

It is said that you assumed about 10 to 15% of induced traffic. Can you think that this is a month's number?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

I thought that would be about that in the span of half a year to a year.

 

[Reporter]

You installed wind power generation facilities on the Hokuriku Expwy. Do you have plans to make wind power generation facilities or solar power generation facilities in other service areas or parking areas in the future?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

There is no specific plan, but I will continue to increase it in the future. In addition to wind power generation, we will continue to proactively promote environmental initiatives such as toilets that use rainwater and air conditioning that uses geothermal heat.

 

[Reporter]

I will ask three questions regarding the investigation of tax evasion and fraud cases of former employees. First, it has been said that the target of the survey is to go back to the privatization, but is there a similar difficult project in the past and is it time consuming to conduct the survey? ? Second, I heard the president's interviews in December last year and March this year, and speculated that it would be about this spring that the investigative committee came to a conclusion and dispose of it inside the company and announced The media reported that way, but was it so late that there was a misconception in the judgment of the investigative committee at that time? Third, it has been half a year since the prosecution of the former employee and about two months after the first-instance judgment, but no action has been taken yet. How does the president feel these speeds regarding the fact that the entire case is not identified as a company and the responsibility of the company is not properly established?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

There is no doubt that it is taking time. However, considering what is most important, I do not think that ex-employees will be judged as violating income tax law or fraud, and one case will be settled down by disciplinary dismissal, and that will not end it. I will. Probably, I think it is important to thoroughly investigate how to proceed from the JH era, not only negotiations with landowners but also approvals within the company and business processes, and to fix inappropriate points. I will.

Therefore, we are in the process of investigating a huge amount of data in order to determine exactly what was the real cause. Of course, it is also important to announce it as soon as possible, but if anything, rather than a sense of speed, the focus is on exploring real factors and formulating recurrence prevention measures based on them.

Also, I would like you to understand that it is taking time because we are investigating deeply including such business processes, not the misconception of the investigation committee.

 

[Reporter]

If you ask us about what you're talking about now, how about you accept other inappropriate projects?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

We are currently investigating whether there is such a place. We will announce it to you at a clear stage.

 

[Reporter]

You talked about the use of renewable energy, but are you planning to announce a comprehensive power-saving plan and various measures during this summer's power-saving period?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

We have already made a rough plan. The government's power saving target values for the Kansai Electric Power and Chubu Electric Power are set. Currently, we have a power-saving plan that slightly exceeds the target number. The main power-saving items are thinning lighting for Expressway and service areas, and setting the room air conditioning to 28 degrees.

The target for Kansai Electric Power is 15% reduction, but as a result of various measures such as thinning out some lighting, setting air conditioning, and green curtains, we believe that a reduction of approximately 15 to 20% can be obtained. Chubu Electric Power and Hokuriku Electric Power Company have requested 5% of the demand, but it is the content that I just talked about, and while considering the safety and security aspects, it is possible to save a little over 5-10%. I think.

 

[Reporter]

How is your performance last year?

 

[Employees]

Last year, there was a request for a 15% reduction within TEPCO's jurisdiction, but as a result of implementing measures such as turning off half of the tunnel lighting, the reduction was 19-24% in the summer. Kansai Electric Power's jurisdiction has also achieved a reduction of 15-23% from July to September.

 

[Reporter]

Based on last year's results, will you choose a place to save electricity?

 

[Employees]

Considering safety and security for our customers as our top priority, we would like to avoid turning off half of the tunnel lighting. On the other hand, we want to achieve our goals by selecting power-savings for air conditioning in the service area.

 

[Reporter]

You say that you want to secure safety and security, but I think it is difficult to balance due to the demand for power saving. What do you think of the president?

 

[Chairman and President Kaneko]

Comfort at this time may be a little impaired, but I think safety and security cannot be compromised. Last year, we achieved the target with the reduction efforts that I mentioned earlier, especially within TEPCO's jurisdiction, but based on the results of last year, we would like to put the highest priority on safety and security.

 

[Moderator]

It seems that the question has been interrupted, so this will end the regular press conference.