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Natural Disasters and Industrial Production Efficiency: Evidence from Prewar Japan

Author

Listed:
  • Preeya Mohan

    (Sir Arthur Lewis Institute of Social and Economic Studies, The University of the West Indies)

  • Toshihiro Okubo

    (Faculty of Economics, Keio University)

  • Eric Strobl

    (Department of Economics, Bern University)

Abstract

In this paper, we investigate whether destruction due to natural disasters induces industries to increase their production efficiency using the case of prewar Japan, a period of frequent disasters and technological upgrading. To this end, we compile a regional sectoral data set of natural disaster destruction and production for machinery and textiles during the period. We then employ a stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) approach to estimate the role of disaster events on changes in production efficiency. Our results show that earthquakes led to increases in efficiency for both machinery and textiles, although they were substantially greater for textiles due to recovery persisting longer. In contrast, climate-related natural disaster events played no role in production efficiency.

Suggested Citation

  • Preeya Mohan & Toshihiro Okubo & Eric Strobl, 2020. "Natural Disasters and Industrial Production Efficiency: Evidence from Prewar Japan," Keio-IES Discussion Paper Series 2020-006, Institute for Economics Studies, Keio University.
    • Handle: RePEc:keo:dpaper:2020-006
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    File URL: https://ies.keio.ac.jp/upload/pdf/en/DP2020-006.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Okazaki, Tetsuji & Okubo, Toshihiro & Strobl, Eric, 2019. "Creative Destruction of Industries: Yokohama City in the Great Kanto Earthquake, 1923," The Journal of Economic History, Cambridge University Press, vol. 79(1), pages 1-31, March.
    2. Noy, Ilan & duPont IV, William, 2018. "The Long-Term Consequences of Disasters: What Do We Know, and What We Still Don't," International Review of Environmental and Resource Economics, now publishers, vol. 12(4), pages 325-354, December.
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    4. Eduardo Cavallo & Ilan Noy, 2009. "The Economics of Natural Disasters: A Survey," Research Department Publications 4649, Inter-American Development Bank, Research Department.
    5. Caves, Richard E., 1989. "Mergers, takeovers, and economic efficiency : Foresight vs. hindsight," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 7(1), pages 151-174, March.
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    8. Imaizumi, Asuka & Ito, Kaori & Okazaki, Tetsuji, 2016. "Impact of natural disasters on industrial agglomeration: The case of the Great Kantō Earthquake in 1923," Explorations in Economic History, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 52-68.
    9. Akihiro Otsuka & Mika Goto & Toshiyuki Sueyoshi, 2010. "Industrial agglomeration effects in Japan: Productive efficiency, market access, and public fiscal transfer," Papers in Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 89(4), pages 819-840, November.
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    12. Matthew A Cole & Robert J R Elliott & Toshihiro Okubo & Eric Strobl, 2019. "Natural disasters and spatial heterogeneity in damages: the birth, life and death of manufacturing plants," Journal of Economic Geography, Oxford University Press, vol. 19(2), pages 373-408.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Stochastic Frontier Analysis (SFA); Natural Disasters; Production Efficiency; Earthquakes; Inefficiency Scores;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • R11 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Regional Economic Activity: Growth, Development, Environmental Issues, and Changes
    • O47 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Empirical Studies of Economic Growth; Aggregate Productivity; Cross-Country Output Convergence

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