BAKU, Azerbaijan, July 17. Japan is committed to continuing its support for the Asian Organization of Supreme Audit Institutions (ASOSAI) and is ready to help strengthen the capacities of other Supreme Audit Institutions, said Yuhei Harada, President of Japan’s Supreme Audit Institution, in an interview with Trend on the sidelines of the 62nd ASOSAI Governing Board meeting held in Baku.
Discussing cooperation opportunities with Azerbaijan in auditing, Harada said, “Collaboration between Japan and Azerbaijan in the audit field is a priority. Social security expenditures have risen sharply, making this area especially important.”
He added that Japan has a well-established training institute specializing in auditing public projects, and partner countries can benefit from its programs: “I understand that Azerbaijan has many ongoing construction projects. Training in construction audits and related sectors can be very valuable. This training program has already been offered to numerous Supreme Audit Institutions, and we hope Azerbaijan’s audit bodies will also take part, especially in the audit of public works.”
“At the regional level, we are proud members of ASOSAI, where knowledge sharing and training are crucial. Since around 2000, Japan’s Supreme Audit Institution has served as an administrator within ASOSAI, contributing to capacity-building efforts. We want to continue this work and stand ready to assist other Supreme Audit Institutions in strengthening their capabilities,” Harada emphasized.
“Japan is also involved in auditing environmental and energy sectors, though we are still gaining experience and learning through trial and error. I hope we can exchange knowledge and expertise with Azerbaijan in these areas as well,” he concluded.