経産省、関電に業務改善命令　金品受領で体制見直し指示

　経済産業省は１６日、関西電力幹部らが工事発注の見返りに総額約３億６０００万円相当の金品を受領した問題を受け、同社に対し電気事業法に基づく業務改善命令を出した。ガバナンス（企業統治）やコンプライアンス（法令順守）の強化が不可欠だと判断。外部人材主導により経営体制を抜本的に見直すよう命じた。資源エネルギー庁の高橋泰三長官が関電の森本孝社長を呼び、３月末までの改善計画提出を指示した。
　大手電力会社が法令順守をめぐって業務改善命令を受けるのは初めて。経産省は関電の経営体制について「責任感、決断力の深刻な欠如がみられた」と指摘した。再発防止に向け、社外取締役が強い権限を持つ「指名委員会等設置会社」への移行を含む体制の再構築や、金品問題の中核となった「原子力事業本部」を管理し切れなかった監査部門の強化などを命じた。（2020/03/16-10:29）

Japan's industry ministry issued on Monday a business improvement order to Kansai Electric Power Co. over a high-profile gift scandal involving senior officials of the power supplier.
   The order, issued under the electricity business act, came as the ministry concluded that the company needs to strengthen its corporate governance and compliance systems.
   The ministry ordered the company, based in the western Japan city of Osaka, to drastically review its management system under the initiative of outside personnel.
   Taizo Takahashi, head of the ministry's Agency for Natural Resources and Energy, summoned Kansai Electric President Takashi Morimoto and ordered the firm to submit a business improvement plan by the end of this month. It was the first time for a major Japanese power supplier to get a business improvement order over a legal compliance problem.
   According to a final report submitted to Kansai Electric by a third-party investigation panel on Saturday, 37 officials of the firm and others received cash and gifts worth a total of 360 million yen from Eiji Moriyama, former deputy mayor of the town of Takahama, Fukui Prefecture, central Japan. The town hosts the firm's Takahama nuclear power station.