4．記念式典スピーチ

Perspectives on the move towards
global accounting standards
Chairman of the International Accounting Standards Board

Hans Hoogervorst

Minister Nakatsuka, President Hagiwara, dis-put to be of very high quality, expressing

tinguished guests. It is a great honour to besome very clear thinking. We need to tap bet-

here today on this momentous occasion forter into this thinking through this office.

the IASB. Today we are opening our first office outside of London, and the Asia-Oceania

Across the Asia-Oceania region you have aregion is the perfect place for this facility.

rich diversity of 25 independent voices. The

That is why I am delighted to be here today.

great work of the Asia-Oceania Standard-Set-

To thank the Japanese Financial Accounting

ters Group is helping to synthesise these na-

Standards Foundation for their support intional views and where possible, trying to ex-

helping to establish this office, and to assurepress an Asia-Oceania view to the IASB. We

you of my commitment to making sure that it

truly hope that this office will contribute tois a remarkable success.

further deepen cooperation and communication in this region. We also need to be here toFirst of all, Asia-Oceania is the most dynamic

make sure Asia is fully plumbed into theeconomic region of the world. For the IASB itIASBʼs day-to-day activities.

is a privilege that so many jurisdictions andcompanies in this region want to use our ac-

The Asia-Oceania office will also help thecounting language to speak with investors

IASB to make itself better understood in thisaround the world. The IASB needs a pres-region. As a relatively young organisation weence here to ensure that the financial report-

still have a lot to do in this respect. In my fre-ing standards we are developing are fully

quent travels around the world, I have no-compatible with the needs of this important

ticed that there are still quite a few miscon-region.

ceptions about the IASB that need to be put
to rest. Now that I am here, let me take thisSecond, in the field of financial reporting,opportunity to dispel just a few of these

Asia-Oceania has some really smart thinkers.

myths.

We at the IASB always look forward to comment letters and other input received from

One persistent myth about the IASB is that

this part of the world. We can rely on this in-we（perhaps secretly）would only be interest-40

2012.12 vol.39 季刊 会計基準

特集

IFRS 財団アジア・オセアニアオフィスの開設

ed in fair value. The truth is that we have al-

Having said that, we are also aware that weways been proponents of a mixed measure-do need to clarify the basis upon which differ-ment model. While our colleagues at theent gains and losses are reported in different

FASB at one time proposed a full fair valueways. Other Comprehensive Income has be-model for financial instruments, the IASB de-come a very crowded parking spot for sensi-

cided from the outset that a mixed attributetive accounting problems. The fact is that no-model would be more appropriate. We under-

body knows what OCI really means. It is ourstand full well that while fair value measure-

duty to tidy things up and to make income

ment is very relevant for actively traded fi-

presentation more meaningful. In the review

nancial instruments, for a manufacturingof the Conceptual Framework we will try tocompany it does normally not make a lot of

do so. Wish us luck!

sense to fair value its Property, Plant andEquipment.

In the meantime, rest assured that we have

Currently, we are reviewing the measure-

sure of performance or to make comprehen-ment chapter of the Conceptual Framework.

sive income the only measure of performance.

no plans to eliminate profit or loss as a mea-

We will try to develop clear principles on

So, once again fact is somewhat different fromwhich measurement technique to use in whatfiction.

circumstances. We have some very toughnuts to crack and the outcome of this exercise

The two preceding misconceptions have led

is far from clear. However, it is most unlikely

to a third persistent myth, namely that IFRSs

that it will result in a choice for fair value as

are only of use to the financial whizz-kids inthe single measurement technique. So the fairLondon and Wall Street. This myth holds thatvalue myth can be put to rest.

our standards are incompatible with the culture of countries with a strong manufacturing

The second myth I would like to briefly touch

tradition. Again, this is not true. Around theupon is that the IASB is only interested inworld, the vast majority of companies using

the balance sheet, and that we aim to replace

IFRS are normal businesses involved in nor-net income with comprehensive income.

mal business activities such as manufacturing,

Again, I see no evidence of such bias. We doretail and the services sector. Since the global

not designate one type of information, about

financial crisis first broke out in 2007, media

balance sheet or about profit and loss, as thecoverage of IFRS has been dominated byprimary focus of financial reporting. Both arewhat it means for financial institutions. Media

indeed complementary. We also view net in-coverage is one thing, but the reality is thatcome as an important performance indicator.

IFRSs are used day in, day out by businesses

We know comprehensive income contains

in the ʻreal economyʼ.

many different items that users need to analyse separately.

The fourth and final myth I want to touch

2012.12 vol.39 季刊 会計基準

41

upon is that the IASB is sometimes perceived

tionship with national standard setters andto be an ivory tower, dominated by Anglo

regional bodies such as the AOSSG will soon

Saxons in far-away London. Fortunately, thisbe deepened by the creation of an Accounting

criticism seems to abate as we are strength-Standards Advisory Forum.

ening our efforts to engage with our constituents around the world.

The opening of the Asia-Oceania office is an-Indeed, the IASB is not a foreign organisation

It demonstrates the commitment of the IASB

but a truly international one. We have staff

to be a truly global organization. You canand board members from around the world,count on our continued commitment to this

who are deeply committed to the public inter-very important region and its constituents. Inest. We only have one mission : to develop

closing, I would like to thank once again Japa-

high quality accounting standards that serve

nese authorities and the Japanese Financial

our constituents around the world. We rely

Accounting Standards Foundation for making

heavily on input from jurisdictions around thethis office possible.

other moment of huge symbolic significance.

world when setting our standards. Our rela-42

2012.12 vol.39 季刊 会計基準