Japan’s Board of Audit (Board) Issues Annual Report, Welcomes New Board President
Source: Official Website of the Prime Minister of Japan and His Cabinet
Mr. MORITA Yuji, President of the Board of Audit of Japan (the Board), submitted the Audit Report Fiscal Year 2018 to Prime Minister ABE Shinzo on November 8, 2019. The report, containing results on audits the Board conducted in 2018-2019, includes final accounts of annual expenditures and revenues of the State and government-affiliated institutions. After the submission to the Cabinet, the Cabinet, in turn, provided the report to the Diet (Japan’s bicameral legislature) along with the final accounts of the State’s expenditures and revenues.
The Audit Report Fiscal Year 2018 contains 335 audit cases identifying nearly $1 billion USD in “improper amounts.”*
The Board has been continuously conducting agile, flexible audits and responds to issues in a timely and appropriate manner. In this report, the Board noted issues on several matters, including:
- Securing the safety of citizen well-being;
- Social security;
- Effect of scheme and project operations;
- Proper and fair operation of systems and projects;
- Assets, funds and stocks;
- Proper execution of budget and appropriate management of public accounts;
- Environment and energy related issues; and
- Information technology related issues.
At any time throughout the year (even prior to the audit report completion), the Board is able to report to the Diet and the Cabinet on issues where the Board (1) presented its opinions, (2) demanded to take measures, or (3) specifically found needs for an audit. In 2018-2019 there were four cases that fell into these categories.
Likewise, the Board may conduct an audit of specific matters requested by the Diet under the Diet Act and report the results. The Board reported two such cases to the Diet in 2018-2019.
*For the definition of “improper amounts,” please visit www.jbaudit.go.jp/english/. For additional information, contact the Board via email: liaison@jbaudit.go.jp or web: http://www.jbaudit.go.jp/english/.
Mr. MORITA Yuji assumed the Presidency of the Board of Audit of Japan on September 3, 2019, succeeding Dr. KOBAYASHI Mari, who retired from the position on August 15, 2019.
Prior to assuming his current position, Mr. MORITA served as Commissioner of the Board (since 2011) and as Acting President upon Dr. KOBAYASHI’s retirement. Before that, he had worked as a Senior Partner of Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu, LLC. He is a Certified Public Accountant and also a Certified Information System Auditor.
In a related move, Dr. TANAKA Yayoi was appointed as Commissioner of the Board on September 2, 2019. Before her appointment, she was a Special Appointed Professor of the Research Department, National Institution for Academic Degrees and Quality Enhancement of Higher Education.
For additional information, contact the Board of Audit via email at liaison@jbaudit.go.jp or visit www.jbaudit.go.jp/english/.
