Can Women Save Japan?

October 15, 2012

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Format: Chicago

Chad Steinberg, and Masato Nakane. Can Women Save Japan?, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2012) accessed December 21, 2024

Also available in: 日本語

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

Japan's potential growth rate is steadily falling with the aging of its population. This paper explores the extent to which raising female labor participation can help slow this trend. Using a cross-country database we find that smaller families, higher female education, and lower marriage rates are associated with much of the rise in women's aggregate participation rates within countries over time, but that policies are likely increasingly important for explaining differences across countries. Raising female participation could provide an important boost to growth, but women face two hurdles in participating in the workforce in Japan. First, few working women start out in career-track positions, and second, many women drop out of the workforce following childbirth. To increase women’s attachment to work Japan should consider policies to reduce the gender gap in career positions and to provide better support for working mothers.

Subject: Education, Employment, Gender, Labor, Labor force, Labor markets, Women

Keywords: Child care, Employment, Female Labor Participation, FLP rate, Japan, Labor force, Labor markets, Marriage rate, Northern Europe, Parental leave, Standard deviation, Women, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

51
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2012/248
Stock No:

WPIEA2012248
ISBN:

9781475512922
ISSN:

1018-5941

Notes

Also available in Japanese

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