「ガス制限令」導入へ　臨時国会に法改正案提出―経産省

　経済産業省は５日、都市ガスの需給が逼迫（ひっぱく）した場合、国が使用量の多い大企業に使用制限令を出せるようにするガス事業法の改正案をまとめた。都市ガスの原料として輸入している液化天然ガス（ＬＮＧ）の安定調達に不透明感が強まる中、緊急時に需要を抑制する仕組みを整備する。
　５日午前の自民党経済産業部会に提示し、了承された。３日召集された臨時国会に提出し、早期成立を目指す。（2022/10/05-12:15）

Japan's industry ministry on Wednesday complied a draft revision of the gas business law to allow the government to issue an order to restrict the usage of city gas by major companies if the supply-demand balance becomes tight.
   The planned revision is aimed at developing a system to curb demand during times of emergency, as uncertainty is growing over stable procurement from overseas of liquefied natural gas, a raw material for city gas.
   The draft revision was approved at the day's meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Economy, Trade and Industry Division. The government aims to enact the revised law at an early date after submitting the draft to the ongoing extraordinary session of the Diet, the country's parliament, which started on Monday.
   The government will issue a city gas usage restriction order if demand exceeds supply even after calling on all households and companies to save city gas voluntarily and asking major firms on a one-by-one basis to do the same.
   According to the draft revision, the government will be allowed to order the minimum usage restrictions necessary if gas shortages are feared having adverse effects on the domestic economy and people's lives.