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Health Impacts of Public Pawnshops in Industrializing Tokyo

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  • Tatsuki Inoue

Abstract

This study is the first to investigate whether pawnshops, financial institutions for low-income populations, have contributed to the decline in mortality in the early twentieth century. Using ward-level panel data from Tokyo City, this study revealed that the popularity of public pawnshops was associated with a 4% and 5% decrease in infant mortality and fetal death rates, respectively, during 1927-1935. The historical context implies that the potential channels of the relationships were improving nutrition and hygiene and covering childbirth costs. Moreover, a cost-benefit calculation highlighted that the establishment of public pawnshops was a cost-effective public investment for better public health. Contrarily, for-profit private pawnshops showed no significant association with health improvements.

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  • Tatsuki Inoue, 2023. "Health Impacts of Public Pawnshops in Industrializing Tokyo," Papers 2305.09352, arXiv.org, revised May 2024.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2305.09352
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