Azusa Audit Corporation Launches "AI Governance Study Group"

Azusa Audit Corporation (Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Hiroyuki Yamada) is pleased to announce the launch of its "AI Governance Study Group." This initiative is in collaboration with the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) and Aoyama Shachu Co., Ltd., a policy think tank, to address the new ethical and legal challenges posed by AI technology and to ensure reliability and transparency.

In recent years, the rapid advancement of AI technology has brought about changes in social structures and industries, while also revealing new ethical, legal, and social issues. In light of these circumstances, this study group was planned with the aim of creating a collaborative framework that allows diverse stakeholders, including government, corporations, and academic institutions, to share knowledge across industries and positions, discuss methodologies and best practices for AI governance development from their respective viewpoints, and enable further cooperation.

Furthermore, to deepen discussions, the study group will focus on specific themes throughout its sessions. For the inaugural term, the theme will be "Agentic AI in Manufacturing." Discussions will be held with experts in AI governance and private companies advancing AI utilization, based on actual use cases.

Azusa Audit Corporation has been engaged in practical support for building AI governance, formulating strategies for AI utilization, and evaluating AI governance systems, drawing upon KPMG's global initiatives. Building on this expertise, the study group will contribute to discussions aimed at balancing AI-driven transformation with risk management.

Through this study group, we aim to compile findings on the challenges and ideal state of AI governance in new AI domains, widely disseminate these outcomes, and contribute to the growth and development of companies promoting AI utilization, and ultimately, to the revitalization of the Japanese economy as a whole.

"AI Governance Study Group" Overview

Chairperson: Hiroki Habuka, Specially Appointed Professor, Graduate School of Law, Kyoto University / Attorney-at-Law / CEO, Smart Governance Inc.

Advisor: Manabu Moriya, Director, Information Economy Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

Facilitator: Ichiro Asahina, Representative CEO, Aoyama Shachu Co., Ltd. / Visiting Professor, University of Fukui / Visiting Professor, Graduate School of Business Breakthrough University

Members (in Japanese syllabary order):

Tsutomu Abe, General Manager, Internal Control Department, SoftBank Corp.

Yoshihiro Ota, President and CEO, Arithmer Inc.

Hiroshi Kitamura, Expert, Digital Foundation Center, Digital Engineering Department / AI Safety Institute (AISI) / Information-technology Promotion Agency (IPA), Japan

Koichiro Obuchi, Senior Consultant, AI Transformation Department, Digital Solution Headquarters / Part-time Lecturer, Tokyo Institute of Science and Technology

Hiroaki Sakuma, Executive Director, General Incorporated Association AI Governance.

Takayuki Sato, Planning Officer, AI Strategy Promotion Office, Science, Technology and Innovation Promotion Bureau, Cabinet Office, Government of Japan

Seigo Takaiwa, Senior Staff Member, IT General Administration Department, DX Promotion Headquarters, Nippon Shokubai Co., Ltd.

Akio Terada, Executive Officer in charge of DX, Asahi Kasei Corporation

Takuya Watanabe, Director, Information Technology Utilization Promotion Division / Director, AI Industry Strategy Office, Information Industry Division, Commerce and Information Policy Bureau, Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry

And others

*The inclusion of participants and their affiliations does not indicate endorsement of specific companies or services but participation in this study group.

Secretariat Director: Manabu Kimura, Department Head, Partner, Digital Innovation & Assurance Division, Azusa Audit Corporation

Secretariat: Takemitsu Shimada, Partner, Digital Advisory Division, Azusa Audit Corporation / KPMG Advisory Holdings Corporation

Junya Kondo, Director, Digital Advisory Division, Azusa Audit Corporation

Daisuke Tanizawa, Senior Manager, Digital Advisory Division, Azusa Audit Corporation

Masashi Murakami, Vice Representative Director, Aoyama Shachu Co., Ltd.

Planning and Operation: Azusa Audit Corporation Aoyama Shachu Co., Ltd.

(Titles omitted)

About Azusa Audit Corporation

Azusa Audit Corporation has approximately 7,000 personnel in major cities across Japan and provides non-audit services such as financial accounting advisory, internal control advisory, ESG advisory, regulatory compliance advisory, IT-related advisory, digital and data-related advisory, and startup-related advisory, in addition to audit certification services.

We have a structure that provides highly specialized services tailored to industry-specific needs through audit divisions organized by industry sectors including finance, telecommunications and media, technology, public sector, consumer goods and retail, life sciences, and automotive. As a member firm of KPMG International, we support clients from a global perspective through a network spanning 138 countries and regions.