Wasteful and ineffective use of taxpayer money by the Japanese government in fiscal 2024 totaled about ¥54.081 billion in 319 projects, according to a report the Board of Audit of Japan submitted to Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Wednesday.

Both figures were lower than those of the preceding year.

Of the total cases for fiscal 2024, which ended in March this year, 271, involving over ¥8.6 billion, were related to law violations or improper budget execution.