TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - INORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Desulfurizing Agent: The desulfurizing agent contains 95 mol% or more of metal component in metal state. The agent contains 50-90 mass% of nickel as nickel oxide equivalent amount. The metal component further contains copper (40 mass% or less) as copper oxide equivalent amount. The support contains silica, alumina or silica-alumina. A catalyst component such as ruthenium type or nickel type catalyst is used for the modification reaction. The support of the catalyst is chosen from manganese oxide, cerium oxide and/or zirconium oxide.Preferred Reaction: The modification reaction is steam reforming, partial oxidation modification or auto thermal modification.    TECHNOLOGY FOCUS - ORGANIC CHEMISTRY - Preferred Raw Material: The hydrocarbon raw material is kerosene oil, light oil, naphtha and/or gasoline. EXAMPLE - Nickel sulfate hexahydrate (in g) (730.2) and copper sulfate pentahydrate (151.3) were dissolved in ion exchange water and heated at 80degreesC. Pseudo-boehmite (16.0) was added and pH was adjusted to 2 using 300 ml of 1N sulfuric acid, and preparation liquid (X) was obtained. Sodium carbonate (600) dissolved in ion exchange water (8 L) was heated to 80degreesC, and water glass (180.2) was added and preparation liquid (Y) was obtained. Both liquids (X and Y) were mixed at 80degreesC with stirring and precipitate cake was obtained. The precipitate was washed, filtered and baked at 350degreesC after drying at 120degreesC. The baked product was molded into tablets and desulfurizing agent having average particle diameter of 0.8 mm was obtained. The desulfurizing agent had nickel content of 65 mass% and copper content of 15 mass%. The desulfurizing agent was maintained for 6 hours at 180degreesC in hydrogen air flow and further maintained at 500degreesC for 3 hours. The desulfurizing agent was reduced, temperature was reduced to room temperature and oxidized. The desulfurizing agent was filled in a reaction tube and temperature was raised to 200degreesC and maintained for 2 hours for activation. JIS-No.1 kerosene oil was circulated into reaction tube at 250degreesC and pressure of 0.6 MPa and sulfur concentration in the reaction tube exit was analyzed. The desulfurizing agent showed high desulfurizing ability.