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Fathers' Involvement in Domestic Work and Mothers' Employment: Evidence from Bunching

Author

Listed:
  • Mika Akesaka

    (Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry and Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, JAPAN)

  • Nobuyoshi Kikuchi

    (Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Tokyo Metropolitan University, JAPAN)

Abstract

We study how husbands' weekday domestic work affects wives' labor supply among couples with children aged 9 or younger. To address endogenous selection, we use a control function approach that exploits bunching at zero in husbands' weekday domestic work hours. Using Japanese panel data, we find that the positive association between husbands' domestic work and wives' labor supply disappears after correcting for selection on unobservables. This suggests that the association is largely driven by selection. At the same time, husbands' domestic work increases wives' weekday domestic work, suggesting complementarities in couples' domestic work time.

Suggested Citation

  • Mika Akesaka & Nobuyoshi Kikuchi, 2026. "Fathers' Involvement in Domestic Work and Mothers' Employment: Evidence from Bunching," Discussion Paper Series DP2026-15, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University.
    • Handle: RePEc:kob:dpaper:dp2026-15
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    File URL: https://www.rieb.kobe-u.ac.jp/academic/ra/dp/English/DP2026-15.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2026
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    More about this item

    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J13 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Fertility; Family Planning; Child Care; Children; Youth
    • J16 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of Gender; Non-labor Discrimination
    • D13 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Household Production and Intrahouse Allocation

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