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Has Abe's Womanomics Worked?

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  • Nobuko Nagase

Abstract

The present paper estimates the effect of the Abe Cabinet's Womanomics policies that aimed to increase female labor supply and keep women on a career path. The policies are surveyed, and the effects are estimated using microdata from the Labor Force Survey combined with data at the prefectural level on day care provision. A difference†in†difference (DD) method is applied to uncover the impacts of the Abe Cabinet's policies. The rapid increase in the provision of infant care, especially in the urban area, has contributed to a strong increase in the labor participation of mothers with young children. In addition, DD method estimates show a strong increase in mothers with infants staying in permanent†contract regular employment. A significant shortening of work hours of workers, especially of parents with infants, is observed, which enabled working mothers to maintain their employment status. A change in the gender wage gap in the Japanese labor market is observed, but much progress is still required to close the large wage gap.

Suggested Citation

  • Nobuko Nagase, 2018. "Has Abe's Womanomics Worked?," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 68-101, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:asiapr:v:13:y:2018:i:1:p:68-101
    DOI: 10.1111/aepr.12202
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Asai, Yukiko, 2015. "Parental leave reforms and the employment of new mothers: Quasi-experimental evidence from Japan," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 36(C), pages 72-83.
    2. Hideo Akabayashi, 2006. "The labor supply of married women and spousal tax deductions in Japan—a structural estimation," Review of Economics of the Household, Springer, vol. 4(4), pages 349-378, December.
    3. Shingo Takahashi, 2010. "A Structural Estimation of the Effects of Spousal Tax Deduction and Social Security Systems on the Labor Supply of Japanese Married Women," Working Papers EMS_2010_08, Research Institute, International University of Japan.
    4. Asai, Yukiko & Kambayashi, Ryo & Yamaguchi, Shintaro, 2015. "Childcare availability, household structure, and maternal employment," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 172-192.
    5. Bessho, Shun-ichiro & Hayashi, Masayoshi, 2014. "Intensive margins, extensive margins, and spousal allowances in the Japanese system of personal income taxes: A discrete choice analysis," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 34(C), pages 162-178.
    6. Nobuko Nagase, 1997. "Wage Differentials and Labour Supply of Married Women in Japan: Part-time and Informal Sector Work Opportunities," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 48(1), pages 29-42, January.
    7. Nobuko Nagase & Mary C. Brinton, 2017. "The gender division of labor and second births: Labor market institutions and fertility in Japan," Demographic Research, Max Planck Institute for Demographic Research, Rostock, Germany, vol. 36(11), pages 339-370.
    8. Abe, Yukiko, 2011. "The Equal Employment Opportunity Law and labor force behavior of women in Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 25(1), pages 39-55, March.
    9. Abe, Yukiko, 2010. "Equal Employment Opportunity Law and the gender wage gap in Japan: A cohort analysis," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(2), pages 142-155, April.
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    Cited by:

    1. Armstrong, Shiro & Dearden, Lorraine & Kobayashi, Masayuki & Nagase, Nobuko, 2019. "Student loans in Japan: Current problems and possible solutions," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 120-134.
    2. Masako Kurosawa, 2018. "Comment on “Has Abe's Womanomics Worked?â€," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 102-103, January.
    3. Daiji Kawaguchi & Keisuke Kawata & Takahiro Toriyabe, 2021. "An Assessment of Abenomics from the Labor Market Perspective," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 16(2), pages 247-278, July.
    4. Ayako Kondo, 2018. "Comment on “Has Abe's Womanomics Worked?â€," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 104-105, January.
    5. Takatoshi Ito & Kazumasa Iwata & Colin McKenzie & Shujiro Urata, 2018. "Did Abenomics Succeed?: Editors' Overview," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 13(1), pages 1-22, January.
    6. Marcus Noland, 2021. "Comment on “Assessment of Abenomics: Evolution and Achievement”," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 16(2), pages 220-221, July.

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