The Board of Audit on Nov. 7 submitted to Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda a report turning up ¥428.38 billion in 555 cases of wasteful use or improper spending of public money by government organizations and state-funded bodies in fiscal 2010.

The amount represents the second largest in history, following the ¥1.79 trillion reported for fiscal 2009. But in comparing the two figures, a special factor for fiscal 2009 must be taken into account.

The fiscal 2009 figure included a ¥1.2 trillion surplus generated by the Japan Railway Construction, Transport and Technology Agency in its account for payment of pensions to former Japanese National Railways workers. The agency was ordered to return the surplus to the state coffer.