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Dissaving by the elderly in Japan: Empirical evidence from survey data

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  • Keiko MURATA

Abstract

Using two micro datasets of household surveys, this study empirically examines the (dis)saving behavior of the elderly in Japan. Using the long-run dataset covering 20 years, the findings indicate that, on average, the elderly in Japan dissave, but the pace of dissaving of retired elderly appears to be excessively slow in light of the standard life cycle-permanent income hypothesis. The analysis suggests that one likely factor is the desire to leave a bequest. Both the saving rate and the pace of wealth decumulation show that retired households dissave more slowly if the head plans to leave a bequest. Retired elderly who intend to have savings for precautionary purposes are not found to dissave more slowly except for those who do not plan to leave a bequest to their children.

Suggested Citation

  • Keiko MURATA, "undated". "Dissaving by the elderly in Japan: Empirical evidence from survey data," ESRI Discussion paper series 346, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    • Handle: RePEc:esj:esridp:346
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    File URL: http://www.esri.go.jp/jp/archive/e_dis/e_dis346/e_dis346.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Junya HAMAAKI & Masahiro HORI & Koichiro IWAMOTO & Keiko MURATA & Takeshi NIIZEKI & Fumihiko SUGA, 2016. "Estimation of Annual Consumption Expenditures by Japanese Households Based on the Microdata from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey:Estimation Methods and Illustrative Tables and Figures (in Jap," Economic Analysis, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), vol. 190, pages 95-129, January.
    2. Mariacristina De Nardi & Eric French & John B. Jones, 2010. "Why Do the Elderly Save? The Role of Medical Expenses," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 118(1), pages 39-75, February.
    3. Karen E. Dynan & Jonathan Skinner & Stephen P. Zeldes, 2002. "The Importance of Bequests and Life-Cycle Saving in Capital Accumulation: A New Answer," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 92(2), pages 274-278, May.
    4. Mariacristina De Nardi & Eric French & John Bailey Jones, 2016. "Savings After Retirement: A Survey," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 8(1), pages 177-204, October.
    5. Junya HAMAAKI & Masahiro HORI & Koichiro IWAMOTO & Saeko MAEDA & Keiko MURATA & Takeshi NIIZEKI, 2015. "Estimation of Real Assets Holdings by Japanese Households Based on the Microdata from the Family Income and Expenditure Survey:Estimation Methods and Illustrative Tables and Figures(in Japanese)," Economic Analysis, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), vol. 189, pages 65-96, February.
    6. Abe, Naohito & Yamada, Tomoaki, 2005. "Structural Estimation of Consumption Function―An Empirical Analysis on Precautionary Saving in a Buffer Stock Saving Model―," Economic Review, Hitotsubashi University, vol. 56(3), pages 248-265, July.
    7. John Ameriks & Joseph Briggs & Andrew Caplin & Matthew D. Shapiro & Christopher Tonetti, 2020. "Long-Term-Care Utility and Late-in-Life Saving," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 128(6), pages 2375-2451.
    8. Dekle, Robert, 1990. "Do the Japanese elderly reduce their total wealth? A new look with different data," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 4(3), pages 309-317, September.
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    Cited by:

    1. Luigi Ventura & Charles Yuji Horioka, 2020. "The wealth decumulation behavior of the retired elderly in Italy: the importance of bequest motives and precautionary saving," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 18(3), pages 575-597, September.
    2. Niimi, Yoko & Horioka, Charles Yuji, 2019. "The wealth decumulation behavior of the retired elderly in Japan: The relative importance of precautionary saving and bequest motives," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 52-63.
    3. Yuji Horioka, Charles & Niimi, Yoko, 2019. "Household Debt and Aging in Japan," AGI Working Paper Series 2019-12, Asian Growth Research Institute.

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