Can Women Save Japan?

IMF Working Papers, October 15, 2012

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Can Women Save Japan?

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Bibliographic details

• Authors: Chad Steinberg, Masato Nakane
• Published: October 15, 2012
• Series: IMF Working Papers
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781475512922.001

Executive summary and motivation

• Japan's potential growth rate is steadily falling with the aging of its population.
• The paper explores the extent to which raising female labor participation can help slow this trend.
• Using a cross-country database the authors examine drivers of female labor participation and the implications for Japan.

Key empirical findings

• Within countries over time, much of the rise in women's aggregate participation rates is associated with:
  • smaller families
  • higher female education
  • lower marriage rates
• Across countries, policies are likely increasingly important for explaining differences in female labor participation.
• Two specific hurdles for women participating in the workforce in Japan:
  • Few working women start out in career-track positions.
  • Many women drop out of the workforce following childbirth.

Implications for growth

• Raising female participation could provide an important boost to growth by partially offsetting downward pressure from population aging.

Policy recommendations

• Increase women's attachment to work in Japan by:
  • Reducing the gender gap in career-track positions.
  • Providing better support for working mothers.

Content in this bundle

• Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures
  • Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures (Markdown version)
  • Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures (PDF)
• 女性は日本を救えるか？IMFWorking Paper 12/248; チャド・スタインバーグ、中根誠人; October 1, 2012
  • 女性は日本を救えるか？IMFWorking Paper 12/248; チャド・スタインバーグ、中根誠人; October 1, 2012 (Markdown version)
  • 女性は日本を救えるか？IMFWorking Paper 12/248; チャド・スタインバーグ、中根誠人; October 1, 2012 (PDF)