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Skills and changing comparative advantage: The case of Japan

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  • Kiyota, Kozo

Abstract

Is the skill gap of net exports widening? This question is nontrivial for many industrial countries because, with the rapid growth of emerging countries, human capital is considered one of the most important sources of comparative advantage. Theoretically, however, the answer is not necessarily obvious because of changing comparative advantage. This paper attempts to answer this question by extending the analysis of Wolff (2003) and by focusing on one of the largest OECD countries, Japan, for the period 1980–2005. The results indicate that the answer to the above question may well be “no.” Although Japan is still a net exporter of skill-intensive goods, the skill gap of net exports has been narrowing since the mid-1990s, mainly as a result of the changes in the composition of trade. This implies that some OECD countries, including Japan, may have been losing their comparative advantage in skill-intensive goods in recent years.

Suggested Citation

  • Kiyota, Kozo, 2013. "Skills and changing comparative advantage: The case of Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 33-40.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:japwor:v:28:y:2013:i:c:p:33-40
    DOI: 10.1016/j.japwor.2013.06.004
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Kiyota, Kozo, 2005. "Services content of Japanese trade," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 261-292, August.
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    Cited by:

    1. Kozo Kiyota & Keita Oikawa & Katsuhiro Yoshioka, 2017. "The Global Value Chain and the Competitiveness of Asian Countries," Asian Economic Papers, MIT Press, vol. 16(3), pages 257-281, Fall.
    2. Kozo Kiyota, 2021. "The Leontief Paradox Redux," Review of International Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(2), pages 296-313, May.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Skills; Comparative advantage; Factor content of trade; Japan;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F11 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Neoclassical Models of Trade
    • F14 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Empirical Studies of Trade
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity

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