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The Minimum Wage in a Deflationary Economy: The Japanese Experience, 1994-2003

Author

Listed:
  • Kambayashi, Ryo

    (Musashi University)

  • Kawaguchi, Daiji

    (University of Tokyo)

  • Yamada, Ken

    (Singapore Management University)

Abstract

The statutory minimum wage has steadily increased for decades in Japan, while the median wage has fallen nominally since 1999 because of a severe recession. We use large micro-data sets from two government surveys to investigate how the minimum wage has affected the wage distribution under unusual circumstances of deflation. The compression of the lower tail of the female wage distribution is largely explained by an increased real value of the minimum wage. Steady increases in the effective minimum wage reduced employment among low-skilled, middle-aged female workers, but the mechanical effect associated with disemployment on wage compression was minimal.

Suggested Citation

  • Kambayashi, Ryo & Kawaguchi, Daiji & Yamada, Ken, 2010. "The Minimum Wage in a Deflationary Economy: The Japanese Experience, 1994-2003," IZA Discussion Papers 4949, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp4949
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    Cited by:

    1. Ms. Chie Aoyagi & Mr. Giovanni Ganelli, 2013. "The Path to Higher Growth: Does Revamping Japan’s Dual Labor Market Matter?," IMF Working Papers 2013/202, International Monetary Fund.
    2. Yoshio Higuchi, 2013. "The Dynamics of Poverty and the Promotion of Transition from Non-Regular to Regular Employment in Japan: Economic Effects of Minimum Wage Revision and Job Training Support," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 64(2), pages 147-200, June.
    3. Kyota Eguchi, 2010. "Minimum Wages and Trainers' Dilemma," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 24(2), pages 128-138, June.
    4. Yokoyama, Izumi & Kodama, Naomi & Higuchi, Yoshio, 2019. "Inequality through wage response to the business cycle–Evidence from the FFL decomposition method," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 87-98.
    5. Jeremy Lise & Nao Sudo & Michio Suzuki & Ken Yamada & Tomoaki Yamada, 2014. "Wage, Income and Consumption Inequality in Japan, 1981-2008: from Boom to Lost Decades," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 17(4), pages 582-612, October.
    6. Katalin Bodnár & Ludmila Fadejeva & Stefania Iordache & Liina Malk & Desislava Paskaleva & Jurga Pesliakaitė & Nataša Todorović Jemec & Peter Tóth & Robert Wyszyński, 2018. "How do firms adjust to rises in the minimum wage? Survey evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-30, December.
    7. Majchrowska, Aleksandra & Strawiński, Paweł, 2018. "Impact of minimum wage increase on gender wage gap: Case of Poland," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 174-185.
    8. Daiji KAWAGUCHI & Yuko MORI, 2014. "Winning the Race against Technology," Discussion papers 14017, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    9. Kawaguchi, Daiji & Mori, Yuko, 2021. "Estimating the effects of the minimum wage using the introduction of indexation," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 184(C), pages 388-408.
    10. Mika Akesaka & Koyo Miyoshi, 2018. "Wage Inequality during the Long-term Stagnation in Japan: Changes within and between Establishments," ISER Discussion Paper 1045, Institute of Social and Economic Research, The University of Osaka.
    11. Yamada, Ken, 2016. "Tracing the impact of large minimum wage changes on household welfare in Indonesia," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 287-303.
    12. Daiji Kawaguchi & Yuko Mori, 2009. "Is Minimum Wage An Effective Anti‐Poverty Policy In Japan?," Pacific Economic Review, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 14(4), pages 532-554, October.
    13. Aoyagi, Chie & Ganelli, Giovanni, 2015. "Does revamping Japan's dual labor market matter?," Economic Systems, Elsevier, vol. 39(2), pages 339-357.
    14. Ken Yamada & Daiji Kawaguchi, 2012. "Changing Unchanged Inequality: Higher Education, Youth Population, and the Japan's Seniority Wages," Global COE Hi-Stat Discussion Paper Series gd12-243, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    15. Nidhiya Menon & Yana van der Meulen Rodgers, 2017. "The Impact of the Minimum Wage on Male and Female Employment and Earnings in India," Asian Development Review, MIT Press, vol. 34(1), pages 28-64, March.
    16. Kawaguchi, Daiji & Mori, Yuko, 2016. "Why has wage inequality evolved so differently between Japan and the US? The role of the supply of college-educated workers," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 29-50.
    17. Masayuki MORIKAWA, 2019. "Minimum Wages and Productivity: Evidence from Japan," Policy Discussion Papers 19015, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    18. Yamagishi, Atsushi, 2021. "Minimum wages and housing rents: Theory and evidence," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    19. Kazuma SATO, 2021. "The Impact of the Minimum Wage Increase on Subjective Wellbeing: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 21075, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    20. Okudaira, Hiroko & Takizawa, Miho & Yamanouchi, Kenta, 2019. "Minimum wage effects across heterogeneous markets," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 110-122.
    21. Hayato Kanayama & Sho Miyaji & Suguru Otani, 2025. "Who Bears the Cost? High-Frequency Evidence on Minimum Wage Effects and Amenity Pass-Through in Spot Labor Markets," Papers 2505.04555, arXiv.org, revised May 2025.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy

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