Nomura Holdings is committed to strengthening and improving our internal controls system to promote proper corporate behavior throughout the Nomura Group, from the viewpoints of ensuring management transparency and efficiency, complying with laws and regulations, controlling risks, ensuring the reliability of business and financial reports and fostering the timely and appropriate disclosure of information. Furthermore, in order to manage business risk, to implement risk management through the risk management and compliance functions, and to ensure effective and adequate internal controls, the Group Internal Audit Department, which is independent from the business execution function, and other similar audit sections established in key subsidiaries, conduct internal audits of the Company and its subsidiaries, in addition to the audits carried out by the Audit Committee ("Three Lines of Defense" approach). The implementation status of internal audits is also reported to the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee.

As an entity that has adopted the Company with Three Board Committees structure, the Board of Directors and the Audit Committee perform the central role in management oversight functions within the Company. The Chair of the Board of Directors is held by a Director who is not concurrently serving as an Executive Officer, allowing the Board of Directors to better oversee the business conducted by the Executive Officers. The Audit Committee is chaired by an Outside Director, making its independence from the management even clearer.

The implementation status of the internal audit is reported to the Internal Controls Committee, which includes a member of the Audit Committee, and the matters discussed at the Internal Controls Committee are also reported to the Board of Directors. In addition, the Audit Committee is coordinating with the Internal Audit Division by receiving reports, as necessary, directly from the Senior Managing Director in charge of internal audits or indirectly through Audit Committee Members, regarding matters such as the maintenance, operational status and implementation status of the internal audit structure, and concerning any matters worthy of special mention, such matters are included in the periodic reports from the Audit Committee to the Board of Directors.

In addition, to strengthen the independence of the internal audit sections from the business execution functions, implementation plans and formulation of the budget of the Internal Audit Division, as well as the election and dismissal of the Head of the Internal Audit Division, require the consent of the Audit Committee, or a member of the Audit Committee designated by the Audit Committee. Audit Committee members may recommend to Executive Officers changes to the implementation plan, additional audit procedures or improvement plan preparations.