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Pension Reform and Individual Retirement Accounts in Japan

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  • KITAO Sagiri

Abstract

The paper studies the effects of introducing individual retirement accounts (IRA) as an alternative to the employer-based, pay-as-you-go public pension system in Japan. Without any reform, the projected demographic transition implies a massive increase in government expenditures in the magnitude of 40% of total consumption expenditures at the peak. Gradually shifting the earnings-related part of pension towards self-financed IRA, expenditures can be reduced by 20% of total consumption, providing a major relief for the government budget. The reform generates a significant rise in capital, as individuals save more for retirement, which is invested over many years. As a result, wage, output, and consumption are also higher, leading to a sizeable welfare gain in the intermediate and long run. Current generations, however, can face a large welfare loss depending on how the transition is financed.

Suggested Citation

  • KITAO Sagiri, 2015. "Pension Reform and Individual Retirement Accounts in Japan," Discussion papers 15076, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    • Handle: RePEc:eti:dpaper:15076
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Oliwia Komada & Krzysztof Makarski & Joanna Tyrowicz, 2017. "Welfare effects of fiscal policy in reforming the pension system," GRAPE Working Papers 11, GRAPE Group for Research in Applied Economics.
    3. Minchung Hsu & Tomoaki Yamada, 2019. "Population Aging, Health Care, and Fiscal Policy Reform: The Challenges for Japan," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 121(2), pages 547-577, April.
    4. Hirono, Makoto & Mino, Kazuo, 2019. "Pension, Retirement, and Growth in the Presence Heterogeneous Elderly," MPRA Paper 98096, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Selahattin İmrohoroğlu & Sagiri Kitao & Tomoaki Yamada, 2017. "Can Guest Workers Solve Japan'S Fiscal Problems?," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 55(3), pages 1287-1307, July.
    6. Miyazato, Naomi, 2020. "Intergenerational Inequality and the Contract Out Policy in Public Health Care," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).
    7. Jiang, Yunyun & Zhao, Tianhao & Zheng, Haitao, 2021. "Population aging and its effects on the gap of urban public health insurance in China," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    8. Sagiri Kitao, 2018. "Policy Uncertainty and Cost of Delaying Reform: The Case of Aging Japan," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 27, pages 81-100, January.
    9. Daniel Homocianu, 2020. "A Methodology of Discovering Comparable Models. The Case of Investing in Retirement Accounts when Considering Age, Main Residence and Education before 1989 vs. Globalization," Scientific Annals of Economics and Business (continues Analele Stiintifice), Alexandru Ioan Cuza University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, vol. 67(4), pages 19-31, December.
    10. Kato, Ryuta Ray, 2018. "The future prospect of the long-term care insurance in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 1-17.
    11. Hirono, Makoto & Mino, Kazuo, 2020. "Pension Reforms, Population Aging, and Retirement Decision of the Elderly in a Neoclassical Growth Model," MPRA Paper 102467, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • H55 - Public Economics - - National Government Expenditures and Related Policies - - - Social Security and Public Pensions
    • H60 - Public Economics - - National Budget, Deficit, and Debt - - - General
    • J11 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions

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