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The effects of the new fiscal rule and creative accounting: Empirical evidence from Japanese municipalities

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  • Hirota, Haruaki
  • Yunoue, Hideo

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to analyze creative accounting by stock-flow adjustment in Japanese municipalities after the introduction of a new fiscal rule. We contribute to the literature by analyzing the interdependency of the new fiscal indexes, which comprise three flow indexes and one stock index. Our main contribution is the finding that municipalities tolerated an increase in their stock indexes while they decreased their flow indexes by reducing reserved funds to avoid exceeding the criteria of the new fiscal rule, as the stock index criterion is weaker than that of the three flow indexes.

Suggested Citation

  • Hirota, Haruaki & Yunoue, Hideo, 2017. "The effects of the new fiscal rule and creative accounting: Empirical evidence from Japanese municipalities," MPRA Paper 89160, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:89160
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    Cited by:

    1. Tsuyoshi Goto & Genki Yamamoto, 2018. "Creative Accounting and Municipal Mergers -A Theoretical and Empirical Approach-," OSIPP Discussion Paper 18E012, Osaka School of International Public Policy, Osaka University.
    2. Bessho, Shun-ichiro & Hirota, Haruaki, 2023. "Do public account financial statements matter? Evidence from Japanese municipalities," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C).
    3. Iwona Franczak, 2021. "Creative Accounting in Poland’s Sub-Sector of Local Governments," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(4), pages 997-1017.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    fiscal rule; creative accounting; stock-flow adjustments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H72 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Budget and Expenditures
    • H74 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - State and Local Borrowing
    • H77 - Public Economics - - State and Local Government; Intergovernmental Relations - - - Intergovernmental Relations; Federalism

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