帰省自粛でガソリン値下がり　１４週ぶり、１３５．５円

　資源エネルギー庁が１９日発表したレギュラーガソリン１リットル当たりの店頭価格（１７日時点）は、全国平均で前週比１０銭安の１３５円５０銭となり、１４週ぶりに値下がりした。１３日時点では値上がりが予想されていたが、新型コロナウイルスの影響で帰省や観光の自粛が広がり、需要が伸びなかった。
　調査を担当する石油情報センターによると、今月上旬の国内のガソリン需要は前年比で２～３割減少している。「給油所にとって夏は書き入れ時。値下げしてでも販売量を増やそうとする動きが広がった」（担当者）と分析している。（2020/08/19-16:13）

Gasoline prices in Japan fell for the first time in 14 weeks this week, with demand subdued amid the coronavirus epidemic, a government report showed Wednesday.
   The nationwide average of regular gasoline prices as of Monday dipped 0.10 yen from a week before to 135.50 yen per liter, according to the Agency for Natural Resources and Energy.
   Pump prices were down in 22 prefectures, and up in 20 others. The remaining five prefectures saw prices stay flat.
   The average price was initially expected to rise this week, but demand was slow to grow as many people refrained from travel, including to family homes during the country's "Bon" summer holiday.
   Domestic gasoline demand in early August was 20 pct to 30 pct lower than a year earlier, according to the Oil Information Center, which conducts the gasoline survey.