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Political commentators are warning the decision to seize more than $1 billion belonging to Thailand’s former prime minister might precipitate a ‘final showdown’ between his red shirt supporters and the yellow shirts who support the army and the monarchy.

Thailand’s Supreme Court had prepared for the trial for weeks and the interest in it was so high that the entire seven-hour verdict was broadcast live on television.

Thaksin Shinawatra still has many supporters in Thailand, and as the decision was read out his red shirt supporters were seen crying on television.

An extra 20,000 security personnel have poured into Bangkok in recent weeks in the expectation it would provoke riots.

On the one hand the decision legitimises the army’s decision to stage the 2006 coup on the grounds Mr Thaksin was corrupt, while letting him keep the assets he earned prior to becoming prime minister.

Pavin Chachawanpunpang, from the Institute of South East Asian Studies, says the verdict was seen as something of a compromise.

“Thaksin has always claimed that prior to becoming prime minister for 2001 all the assets and the money he earned honestly, so this portion of money Thaksin says that the court should not take it away,” he said.

“So it’s a good decision for the court, but obviously because of the military coup in 2006 they had to find some kind of justification.”
Violence to come

Suni Phu Sook, another experienced analyst of Thai politics, believes the decision will anger Mr Thaksin’s supporters as well as his enemy yellow shirts.

“The yellow shirts and those who supported the overthrow of Thaksin wouldn’t be very happy with that decision that compromised the aim to cripple Thaksin’s wealth,” he said.

“On the other hand for the red shirts, the decision to give back assets to Thaksin will embolden them.”

Mr Suni believes the decision may force a final confrontation between the millions in Thailand who still support Mr Thaksin and the yellow shirts.

“It may be the first step of a final showdown in Thai politics; [which has] been left unfinished since the coup in 2006,” he said.

While there was no violence on the streets of Bangkok as the decision was read out, many are concerned about what the coming weeks will bring.

Mr Suni is concerned radical elements may try and provoke violence.

“It is not at all reassuring when we see those who claim themselves to be leaders of the hardcore red shirts going public with the boast that they have been training military wings, they have been providing military expertise to the network, they have been gaining access to weapons,” he said.

“And they are calling for their members for example to bring now a million bottles of gasoline to Bangkok.”

For his part, Mr Thaksin responded to the verdict from Dubai, where he is hiding out from Thai authorities.

He swore that he would die within seven days if it were true he gained his assets illegally and urged his supporters to keep on fighting.

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BANGKOK, Feb 26 (Reuters) – Judges reading a lengthy verdict on whether to seize $2.3 billion of ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra family’s assets said on Friday his policies benefited his family business, raising the likelihood his money will be confiscated.

Authorities say major violence is unlikely but have mobilised thousands of police and troops to pre-empt any backlash by supporters of the 60-year-old fugitive at the centre of a 5-year political crisis in Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy.

Analysts expect the nine-judge Supreme Court to either seize all of the frozen wealth or to allow Thaksin to keep a portion of the assets. The latter scenario is seen as more favourable for markets in the short-run as it lessens the risk of an imminent showdown in Thailand’s divisive colour-coded crisis.

“The partial seizure of the assets should be what financial markets prefer because both sides can claim victory,” said Prapas Tonpibulsak, chief investment officer at Ayudhya Fund Management.

(For possible market reactions click on [ID:nSGE61I05K])

Prosecutors say Thaksin and his former wife, Potjaman na Pombejra, concealed ownership of shares in his family business Shin Corp SHIN.BK while in office from 2001 to 2006, and that he abused power by tailoring policies to benefit the company.

Thaksin, ousted in a 2006 coup and convicted in absentia of graft, has denied the charges from self-imposed exile in Dubai.

One judge said a Thaksin-era government policy to convert part of a telecommunications concessions fee into an excise tax “favoured Shin Corp at the expense of the state”.

A judge also said Thaksin concealed his ownership of stock in Shin Corp, an argument seen as a main precondition for deciding there was a conflict of interest in government policies benefiting Shin Corp, a major telecommunications business.

“The way it’s going, it looks highly likely he will have the whole lot confiscated and he’ll not get anything back,” said Jade Donavanik, dean of the faculty of law at Siam University.

“The judge has repeatedly said the stock was Thaksin’s property. Him concealing assets is the entire foundation of this case, so it’s likely they’ll take it all.”

A final ruling on whether to confiscate any or all of the assets was due later on Friday. Thailand’s stock market reopens on Tuesday after a long weekend holiday.

Some analysts say a court verdict unfavourable to Thaksin, could add weight to allegations he is the victim of a political vendetta and may spark an angry response from supporters.

‘JUDGMENT DAY’

Security was tight around Bangkok’s Supreme Court on what has become known as “Judgment Day”, with cellphone signals jammed to prevent remote-detonated bombings and judges ferried to the courthouse, some from safe houses, in bullet-proof cars.

Six-hundred police guarded the court. Security agencies said thousands of riot troops were on standby in case of unrest.

Political uncertainty has subdued Thailand’s benchmark index .SETI in recent weeks, with many traders waiting to see what the ruling will bring. But foreign investors were net buyers for four straight days this week, drawn to bargains in Thailand where stocks are trading at just 10.6 times forecast 2011 earnings, Asia’s cheapest after Pakistan, Thomson Reuters data shows.

The pro-Thaksin “red shirt” movement, which last April forced a regional summit to be abandoned and staged demonstrations that sparked Thailand’s worst street violence in 17 years, plans a mass rally in Bangkok on March 14 but says it will not protest on Friday whatever the verdict. [ID:nSGE61N09L]

The delay was widely seen as a move to distance the movement from any groups that might seek to stir up trouble. A splinter pro-Thaksin group, “Red Siam”, rallied close to the court on Friday, but has vowed to remain peaceful.

The “red shirts” accuse authorities of playing up the risk of unrest. Security agencies have said they are most concerned outside agitators, or a “third hand”, will trigger violence.

The twice-elected Thaksin says he will fight any seizure of the assets from exile.

(For a related analysis click on [ID:nSGE61I095]; and for a factbox on the case click [ID:nSGE61M019])

Although the verdict will turn a new page in an intractable political crisis that has alarmed many investors, few believe it will provide any hope of a long-term resolution. 
 
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NEW YORK, Feb 23 (Reuters) – U.S. stocks suffered their biggest one-day decline in nearly three weeks on Tuesday after a sharp drop in consumer confidence heightened worries over one of the most vulnerable areas of the economy.

Consumer confidence in February slumped to a 10-month low as the short-term outlook on jobs worsened. For details, see [ID:nN23102211]. Results from retailers added little hope, as bellwethers like Target Corp (TGT.N) forecast a tepid performance in the first quarter.

“There’s a bit of an adjustment process in terms of the growth outlook as to what is going to be the major driver,” said Nick Kalivas, vice president of financial research & senior equity index analyst at MF Global in Chicago.

If “the economic outlook gets adjusted down, certainly the materials and semis would be the places to see selling,” he said.

Stocks associated with a strong cyclical upturn in the economy were hit. Top performers during last year’s rally, including technology, materials and energy stocks led the downside. Oil futures CLc1 fell $1.45 to $78.86 a barrel, pulling the S&P energy index .GSPE down by 1.5 percent. Dow component Caterpillar Inc (CAT.N) shed 2.4 percent to $56.66.

Chipmaker Intel Corp (INTC.O) dropped 2.4 percent to $20.38 and the PHLX semiconductor index .SOXX lost 2.8 percent.

The weak data added to the cautious tone before congressional testimony from Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke on interest rate policy beginning on Wednesday.

Meanwhile, a separate report showed home prices unexpectedly slipped in December, adding to concerns over the sustainability of the economic recovery.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI slipped 100.97 points, or 0.97 percent, to 10,282.41. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index .SPX gave up 13.41 points, or 1.21 percent, at 1,094.60. The Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC was off 28.59 points, or 1.28 percent, to 2,213.44.

Overseas data set a negative tone early on with German business confidence falling unexpectedly for the first time in almost a year. The day’s losses reversed stocks’ recent trend and the S&P 500 racked up its worst decline since early February.

The broad index had risen in four of the past five trading days and posted weekly gains in the last two weeks.

Investors shied away from risk ahead of Bernanke’s testimony when he is likely to be asked about the Fed’s surprise move to raise the discount rate last week.

Home Depot Inc (HD.N) was a bright spot, reporting results that beat estimates and raising its profit forecast. The Dow component gained 1.4 percent to $30.75. [ID:nN23238978]

Jason Weisberg, trader at Seaport Securities in New York, said the strong earnings season has been overshadowed by uncertainty about the political direction.

“The really nice thing is the guidance you’re hearing from corporations, it looks very good,” said Weisberg.

But discount retailer Target fell 1.2 percent to $50.06 after it gave a tepid view of its first-quarter outlook even as it posted a fourth-quarter profit slightly above expectations. [ID:nN23247930].

Nearly 8.48 billion shares traded on the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange and Nasdaq, below last year’s estimated daily average of 9.65 billion.

Declining stocks outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by 2,113 to 939, while on the Nasdaq, decliners beat advancers by 1,759 to 875.

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Toyota, as both a major employer in the United States and a major lobbying force in Washington, has staked out a position in the capital unlike almost any other foreign corporation, with close ties to a number of the lawmakers who will lead inquiries into the safety defects that have led to the recall of more than eight million vehicles.

Federal disclosure records show that Toyota, with 31 lobbyists in Washington last year, has spent nearly $25 million on federal regulatory and legislative lobbying matters in the last five years, far more than any other foreign automaker. That amount is certain to grow this year, with Toyota in full damage-control mode in the face of myriad federal investigations.

“Toyota has lobbied to a degree that no other foreign automaker has,” said Dave Levinthal, communications director for the Center for Responsive Politics, a research group that has analyzed Toyota’s record in Washington.

“They’ve built up years’ worth of connections with federal lawmakers, and that counts for something, when you know the people who are waiting for you on the other side of that door in a contentious situation,” he said. “Now, does that mean they’re going to get off easily? That remains to be seen.” He added, however, that the potential for conflicts of interest was significant.

Toyota’s registered lobbyists include at least eight former officials from Congress and the executive branch. The company also employs former engineers and officials from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the federal regulatory agency faulted by some critics for failing to spot a pattern of safety problems at Toyota.

A number of lawmakers have personal financial ties to Toyota as well. More than a dozen members of Congress have owned stock in Toyota since 2008, valued, in some cases, at tens of thousands of dollars. Representative Jane Harman, a California Democrat, led the way, with Toyota stock valued at $116,000 to $315,000 in her most recent disclosure report.

Ms. Harman serves on the House energy committee, which will begin a public examination of Toyota’s problems at a hearing on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, the House oversight committee will hold a hearing of its own on Toyota. The ranking Republican on the committee, Representative Darrell Issa of California, has pressed Toyota for a fuller accounting of the safety problems, but he too has a history of financial connections to automakers.

Mr. Issa, one of the wealthiest members of Congress, became rich making auto alarms that his company sold to Toyota and other manufacturers. He valued the auto-alarm stock that he owns at more than $55 million in his most recent Congressional filing.

Kurt Bardella, a spokesman for Mr. Issa, said that the company that Mr. Issa founded had never had any exclusive contracting agreements with Toyota and that financial connections between the company and any lawmakers should not hinder the examinations by Congress.

Mr. Issa “has been the most aggressive person in Congress in this investigation, and he has no vested interest in Toyota’s success or failure,” Mr. Bardella said.

The third committee examining Toyota — the Senate commerce committee — will hold its hearing next week, and its chairman, Senator John D. Rockefeller IV, Democrat of West Virginia, has extensive ties to Toyota as well.

Mr. Rockefeller helped Toyota establish one of its fastest-growing plants in West Virginia, and the company honored him for his support with a lavish dinner in 2008. At the time, he said he was proud to call Toyota a friend and added, “We boast of the 1,500 jobs and more than $1 billion in investment they’ve brought us.”

Toyota employs an estimated 172,000 people in the United States at plants, dealerships and suppliers. With a steady stream of damaging stories coming out publicly in recent weeks about Toyota’s years of knowledge of safety problems, the company’s supporters say its employment record should earn the company a fair and even-handed review by federal officials.

“Toyota has unquestionably placed the safety of its customers above profits,” Gov. Steve Beshear of Kentucky, which is home to a Toyota manufacturing plant, said in a letter to Congress this month that was signed by three other governors.

“At the same time, they have not laid off a single employee, despite the impact these concerns have had on sales,” the letter said. “All of these actions are representative of the valuable friend we have in Toyota.”

Clarence Ditlow, executive director of the Center for Auto Safety, a consumer group that has examined Toyota’s safety record, said he hoped that members of Congress would be able to set aside their connections to Toyota and undertake the kind of tough examination seen a decade ago in a controversy over Ford and Firestone tires.

Ford and Firestone “had very close ties to Capitol Hill, too, and that didn’t prevent Congress from fully examining the situation and coming up with some pretty strong recommendations,” Mr. Ditlow said. “When you’re in a public crisis like this with Toyota, your lobbying contacts aren’t going to save the day.”

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Christine Pratt, founder of the National Bullying Hotline, claimed the charity had received “three or four” calls in recent months from staff in the Prime Minister’s office.

She said she had personally spoken to at least one of the callers, who complained of a “bullying culture” at Downing Street and of the “stress” it caused.

Mrs Pratt added that she was “appalled” by No 10’s “outright denial” of the allegations and insisted they should be investigated as the Government’s attempt to dismiss the claims would only “compound the stress of those who believe they are being bullied”.

Her extraordinary intervention came after senior ministers tried to counter damaging allegations about Mr Brown’s behaviour and treatment of his staff in a new book.

The book, by the respected a political commentator Andrew Rawnsley, suggested that the Prime Minister’s volatile temper, his allegedly foul-mouthed abuse of staff and outbreaks of physical violence had left No 10 civil servants and aides suffering a culture of fear and intimidation.

Lord Mandelson, the Business Secretary, led the Downing Street attempt to rebuff the allegations. He insisted that the Prime Minister was not a bully, and that he was only “inpatient” and “demanding” of his staff.

However, the public relations counter-offensive was derailed by Mrs Pratt, who disclosed that several Downing Street staff had sought confidential help from her charity.

The Conservatives said the disclosure suggested a “Government cover-up” over Mr Brown’s behaviour.

The row comes only days after Mr Brown attempted to make his character an asset in the general election with an emotional ITV interview, in which he discussed his children and his marriage at length.

It also overshadows the launch of Labour’s general election campaign on Saturday, where Mr Brown had asked voters to “take a second look” at him and his party.

In denying the bullying claims yesterday, ministers attempted to make a virtue of the Prime Minister’s personality, but Mrs Pratt undermined that strategy when she claimed she had personally spoken to No 10 staff about bullying in his office.

“Staff in his office, working directly with him, have issues and have concerns and have contacted our helpline,” she said. “Some have downloaded information; some have actually called our helpline directly and I have spoken to staff in his office.”

She added: “I have personally taken a call from staff in the Prime Minister’s office, staff who believe they are working in a bullying culture and that it has caused them some stress.

“We would have hoped Gordon Brown would lead by example. If an employer receives complaints they should investigate.

“I am not saying Gordon Brown is a bully, I am not a judge. But I am appalled at the outright denial that is going on without due process being followed.”

In all, there had been “three or four” calls from No 10 staff to the helpline, she said.

Mrs Pratt later told The Daily Telegraph that by dismissing the reports of bullying, No 10 could be breaching employment law.

“If an employer receives any allegation that there is a culture of bullying or stress, they have a legal obligation to investigate, a duty of care to employees. It appears that due process is not being followed here,” she explained.

A Downing Street spokesman was unable to comment last night on a separate report that one member of the Downing Street staff was currently on stress-related sick leave.

Many of yesterday’s revelations about Mr Brown’s behaviour had been rumoured at Westminster for several years, but they were formally published for the first time in a book by Mr Rawnsley, serialised in a Sunday newspaper.

The book alleged that on several occasions, Mr Brown’s anger had led to physical violence against Downing Street staff.

The book also claimed that Mr Brown’s treatment of Downing Street officials was so bad that Sir Gus O’Donnell, the head of the Civil Service, felt moved to investigate the concerns of staff members.

It was reported that having heard from several “frightened” and “bruised” officials, Sir Gus privately raised Mr Brown’s conduct with the Prime Minister, telling him: “This is no way to get things done.” Mr Rawnsley said he based his report on the eyewitness accounts of many officials and politicians.

No 10 denied there had been any incidents of violence against staff and described the allegations as “malicious.”

However, it did not challenge the wider picture of Mr Brown’s character and temperament.

Ministers said Mr Brown’s occasional outbursts and impatience were merely proof of his driven nature and his determination to do a good job.

Lord Mandelson said of the Prime Minister: “He does not like taking no for an answer from anyone. He will go on and on until he’s got a policy or an idea in the best possible form. Yes there is there is a degree of impatience about the man.” But he insisted: “He doesn’t bully people”.

In a statement last night, No 10 said: “At no time has the National Bullying Helpline contacted No 10 about these allegations. We have rigorous, well established procedures in place to allow any member of staff address any concerns over inappropriate treatment or behaviour. The Civil Service will continue to have a no tolerance policy on bullying.”

Downing Street aides questioned the credibility of Mrs Pratt, suggesting her group was a “Tory front group.”

Ann Widdecombe, a Tory backbencher, is a patron of the charity, and its Reading office is in the same business park as a local Conservative association.

However, Mrs Pratt last night denied any connection to the Conservatives. “We are non-political, I am non-political,” she said.

The Conservatives seized on the charity’s disclosures. A Tory spokesman said: “This development suggests that there could be a cover-up at the heart of government over the prime minister’s behaviour.”

In a statement last night, the Cabinet Office also contradicted the claim’s in Mr Rawnsley’s book about Sir Gus.

A spokesman said: “It is completely untrue that the Cabinet Secretary ever gave the Prime Minister a verbal warning about his behaviour.”

The book also recounts efforts by Mr Brown’s aides to undermine Alistair Darling, the Chancellor, and allow the Prime Minister to replace him with Ed Balls, a long-standing ally.

Maggie Darling, the chancellor’s wife, was quoted as saying Mr Brown’s team were trying to “stitch up” Mr Darling. The Chancellor himself was reported to have confronted Mr Brown over media briefings against him.

William Hague, the shadow foreign secretary, said the allegations “raise questions about the Prime Minister’s judgment and behaviour” and proved Mr Brown was “not cut out” for the job.

Mr Hague said: “I don’t think he has ever shown that he can lead a happy team and a successful team. That is one of the reasons he has struggled.”

He added: “The people who work in Number 10 or at the top of other government departments work round the clock, they are very hard working and dedicated and not very highly paid considering their hours and their responsibilities,”

“They are entitled to expect the highest standards of behaviour and courtesy and politeness from the ministers and the prime minister they serve.”

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Popular ugg boots - What Are They?
Traditionally, the term “ugg boot” referred to a style of Australian boot made with sheepskin.

During World War I, pilots wore a fleece-lined “FUG” (flying ugg) boot, and a type of ugg boot was also worn in Australia as early as the 1930s by farmers wanting to keep their feet warm. In the 1960s Australian surfers would put on ugg boots to warm their feet after coming in from riding the waves, and people in Australia would often wear ugg boots around the house during the mild winters.

While several Australian companies still manufacture these boots, “UGG” is also a trademark of the boots manufactured by a U.S. company, “UGG Australia.” So many of those Australian manufacturers now are marketing what were formally known as “ugg boots” as “Australian sheepskin boots.”

Whether you call them “sheepskin boots” or “ugg boots,” they are incredibly warm, and soft, and have become a major hit with celebrities and trendsetters alike over the past couple of years. Oprah, Paris Hilton, and several other celebrities are acknowledged fans of ugg boots.
Where the Name “Ugg Boots” Originated
Legend has it that “ugg” is short for “ugly” – so, “ugg boots” apparently meant “ugly boots.” For decades, “ugg” was generic term used for sheepskin boots made in Australia. The word was so commonplace that it was found in Australian dictionaries, and ugg boots were also known as “ug” or “ugh” boots.

But in the United States, when people refer to “UGG boots,” they’re usually talking about the boots made by Deckers Outdoor Corporation, the parent company of “UGG Australia.”

So if you’re traveling the world and talking about footwear, it’s good to know that when the term “ugg boot” is used, it could be referring to an Australian-made sheepskin boot, or a popular brand name boot.
Styles of Sheepskin and Ugg Boots
Sheepskin and ugg boots are available in short and tall styles. Women’s ugg boots and sheepskin boots are available in colors from pink and purple, to tan and brown, while men’s are available in the more neutral colors. Some have chunky heels and laces, while others are flat-heeled slip-ons.
When to Wear Sheepskin or Ugg Boots
Sheepskin and ugg boots are a casual type of boot. Ugg boots are exceptionally warm and are great for cold weather (up to -30 degrees Fahrenheit) – however, they should not be worn in excessively muddy or wet conditions. If you are looking for warmth while trudging around the house or the city, a sheepskin or ugg boot will be ideal, but if you need a boot for more severe winter weather conditions, you might want to try a pair of snow boots instead.
What to Wear with Sheepskin or Ugg Boots
For girls and women, ugg boots look fantastic with tight-legged jeans tucked into them, or with short skirts paired with opaque tights or bare legs. For guys, ugg boots work great with jeans, and give a very casual, or rugged look, depending on the jeans or the shirt you wear with your ugg boots. The warmth of a sheepskin or ugg boot means they can be worn without socks or hose, even in some of the coldest conditions.
How to Care for Sheepskin or Ugg Boots
For general cleaning tips, you can have a look at this How to Clean UGG Boots video.

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MOSCOW — The leader of Palestinian Islamist group Hamas met here Monday with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov for talks on efforts to reunify the two main Palestinian independence movements.

“We met to pursue our discussions, and our principal goal is to build on efforts brokered by Egypt to secure Palestinian unity,” Lavrov told reporters at the start of talks with Hamas political leader Khaled Meshaal.

Meshaal, who lives in exile in Damascus, praised Russia for seeking a “reconciliation” between Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip, and the rival Fatah movement of Palestinian Authority President Mahmud Abbas.

Hamas seized power in Gaza in June 2007 after a week of vicious street battles with Fatah loyalists.

Since then, the two main Palestinian movements have been deeply divided, confining Abbas’ authority to the occupied West Bank and cleaving the Palestinians into hostile rival camps.

In a newspaper interview published Monday, Meshaal accused the United States of attempting to sabotage reconciliation efforts.

“We know that the US special envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, has recently put pressure on Mahmud Abbas and Egyptian officials,” he told Russian daily Vremya Novostei.

“If Abbas reconciles with us than the United States will halt aid to the Palestinian administration.”

“Russia wants unity in the Palestinian ranks — the Americans don’t care about this,” he told the paper.

Hamas is classified as a terrorist organisation by the United States and the EU, but Russia has maintained official ties with the movement since it won elections and took power in Gaza in 2005.

Meshaal has visited Moscow on two previous occasions, in March 2006 and February 2007. He was scheduled to hold a news conference at 1300 GMT.

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The funeral for those killed in a double bombing targeting Shia muslims in the Pakistani city of Karachi attracted thousands of mourners today.

The death toll from the attack on Friday has now risen to 33, with a further 165 injured.

The funeral for 14 muslim victims, held at a sports field in Karachi, was attended by 10,000 people, according to police officials.

Most shops in the sprawling city of 18 million people were closed and public transport was halted as a procession of mourners carried the coffins though the streets.
Karachi has a long history of sectarian violence between the majority Sunni and minority Shia muslims.

Yesterday a motorbike laden with explosives targeted a bus carrying a group of Shias to a religious festival.

A second bomb exploded outside the entrance to the emergency ward of the Jinnah hospital, where the victims of the first attack were being treated.

Police had initially suspected the two attacks were carried out by suicide bombers but later said the devices were planted.

A third bomb, defused at the hospital, was similar in type, indicating one group was involved.

The bombings coincided with the final and most important day of the Shia Arbaeen religious festival, marking 40 days of mourning for the Prophet Muhammad’s grandson.

Security in Karachi has been tightened after a suicide bomb killed 43 people in December on the Shia holy-day of of Ashura.

Senior police investigator Raja Umer Khattab said the Jundullah (Army of God) militant group was behind both attacks.

He added: “This is the same group that carried out the Ashura attack.”

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani today appealed for calm between the two communities.

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NAGOYA, JAPAN — The president of Toyota apologized at a hastily arranged news conference Friday night for the quality problems that led to the recall of more than nine million cars worldwide.

He also pledged that the Japanese automaker would soon announce steps to address brake problems on the 2010 Prius.

Akio Toyoda, grandson of Toyota’s founder, spoke in his first formal remarks since the uproar enveloping his company, the world’s largest automaker, and took personal responsibility for the problems.

“I deeply regret that I caused concern among so many people,” Mr. Toyoda said. “We will do our utmost to regain the trust of our customers.”

Asked whether Toyota had underestimated the situation, Mr. Toyoda said, “I believe what is happening now is a very big problem. We are in a crisis.”

Mr. Toyoda also apologized to shareholders for the fall in the company’s share price. The company’s stock has dropped about 20 percent in the last two weeks.

Mr. Toyoda said a committee would be set up to look at quality issues. With his comments, he became the second successive Toyota president to apologize for defects on the company’s cars — and the second to assemble a committee to address them.

In 2006, his predecessor, Katsuaki Watanabe, shocked onlookers by bowing low at a news conference and vowing Toyota would improve its quality. But many cars involved in the two recent recalls, one for sticking accelerator pedals, the other for floor mats that could become entangled in the pedals, went on sale after that effort.

One car now in question is the 2010 Prius, the newest version of Toyota’s most important car. The automaker said it was working on a solution to fix issues with the car’s anti-lock brakes, which were redesigned for the 2010 model. Toyota has sold just over 300,000 of the new Priuses in Japan, the United States and Europe since it was introduced.

Company executives also are looking at two other hybrids with the same brake system, the Lexus HS250h and the Sai, a small hybrid sold only in Japan.

Mr. Toyoda is among the industry’s best-known executives, but he has been conspicuously absent in recent weeks, even as his company struggled on three continents to contain the fallout of problems that have shaken its long-held reputation for quality.

Until Friday, Mr. Toyoda’s only public comments came in a brief interview with a Japanese broadcaster on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland.

Toyota’s slowness in addressing its problems has been criticized by regulators in the United States and Japan. Earlier this week, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood spoke with Mr. Toyoda, after sending officials from Washington to Japan in December.

“Users are noticing defects and there have been accidents,” Japan’s transport minister, Seiji Maehara, said Friday ahead of Mr. Toyoda’s briefing. “This leads me to believe Toyota has not put consumers first.”

Mr. Toyoda, who spoke in Japanese and English during the news conference, said that was not the case. “I came out here today because I would not want our customers to spend the weekend wondering whether their cars are safe,” he said.

He would not answer a question about whether the company has ever withheld information related to safety concerns. “Toyota is committed to safety,” he said.

He added in broken English: “The people who drive Toyota, who cares about Toyota, I’m a little bit worried while they are driving, they feel little bit cautious. But believe me, Toyota’s car is safety but we will try to increase our product better.”

The Japanese government has ordered the company to investigate the brakes on the Prius, as has the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Safety regulators in Washington said Thursday that they would open an investigation into the car’s brakes. Toyota said it would “fully cooperate” with the investigation.

Under ordinary circumstances, the Prius braking problem would probably not be serious enough to prompt a recall, said David Champion, director of automotive testing for Consumer Reports magazine.

But given the amount of negative attention surrounding Toyota, and with two committees of the House of Representatives scheduling hearings this month, the carmaker needs to show that it is doing everything it can to ease fears about its vehicles, Mr. Champion said.

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