from October 23 Nikkei

東電、調達・コスト見直し　コスト１０００億円減　競争入札４倍　なれ合い排除　他電力に波及も

It is likely that Tokyo Electric Power Co. will revise the way it purchases materials and oders its construction works. Specifically, it intends to increase competitive biddings more than 4 times and clear so-called cozy relationships with contactors by raising the number of companies which would participate in biddings, so that it would like to reduce the costs for materials and equipment by 10 percent, which ammounted to about \100 bilion, in five years from the current \1.2 trillion a year. Other power companies are expected to follow the suit.

from the October 17 Nikkei

公共施設　撤去しやすく　再開発へ地方債解禁　　来年度、１０００件超す要望

According to sources familiar with the matter, the Public Management, Home Affairs, and Communications Ministry has decided to lift the ban in fiscal 2014 of local governments' issuing bonds in securing funds for abolishing the public facilities like school buildings and governments' offices.While most of municipalities have surplus facilities due to the decreases of their population and recent integrations of neighbouring cities, towns and villages, there is almost no progress in doing away with such facilities bacuase they are reluctant to shoulder necessary costs. Making it possible for local governments to issue their bonds will help them decrese such unnecessary facilities. According to the ministry, more than 1,000 facilities are expected to be abolished nationwide with the ministry's plan implemented.

from the October 25 Nikkei

連合「ベア１％以上」　春季労使交渉５年ぶり要求　自動車総連も足並み

At its meting held on October 24, Rengo, or Japanese Trade Union Confederation,deided to seek in spring labor offensive next year to get a raise in the employees' basic wage level up to at least as much as more than 1%. It has been the first in five years since 2009 that they will set a unified demand criterion for its member labor unions. Under the circumstances of recent economic recovery and upcoming consumption tax rate increase, they judged raising the worker's wage level is indispensable for national economy.The Confederation of Japan Automobile Workers' Union, consisting of domestic carmaker's trade unions like that of Toyota, is expected to follow the suit.