Mr. Yuji Morita, President of the Board of Audit of Japan (the Board), submitted the annual Audit Report Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 to Prime Minister Fumio Kishida on November 5, 2021. The Cabinet then presented the report to the Diet (Japan’s bicameral legislature), along with the final accounts of state expenditures and revenues.
The report contains the results of 210 audits the Board conducted from October 2020 to September 2021 on the final accounts of FY 2020 expenditures and revenues of the state and government-affiliated institutions. The Board found nearly $1.95 billion USD in “improper amounts.” (For the definition of “improper amounts,” visit www.jbaudit.go.jp/english/.)
The Board has been continuously conducting agile, flexible audits and responding to issues in a timely and appropriate manner. In the FY 2020 report, the Board noted issues on several matters, including:
- Expenses related to COVID-19 countermeasures;
- Securing the safety and wellbeing of citizens;
- Social security;
- Information technology;
- Effect of project operations;
- Assets, funds, and stocks; and
- Proper budget execution and appropriate public accounts management.
At any time throughout the year (even prior to the annual audit report), the Board may report to the Diet and the Cabinet on matters it deems necessary, in accordance with the Board of Audit Act. In 2021, the Board issued two special reports and provided them to the Diet and Cabinet prior to issuing the FY 2020 annual audit report. Likewise, under the Diet Act, the Board may conduct and report the results of audits of specific topics requested by the Diet. The Board reported five such cases to the Diet in 2021.
For additional information, please contact the Board at liaison@jbaudit.go.jp.
