## Can Women Save Japan?

_IMF Working Papers, October 15, 2012_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [Can Women Save Japan?](https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/can-women-save-japan-40048)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/can-women-save-japan-40048/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/can-women-save-japan-40048/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/can-women-save-japan-40048/bundle-manifest.json)

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

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### 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.

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## Content in this bundle

- **Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures**
  - [Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures (Markdown version)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2012/_wp12248.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Appendix I. Additional Tables and Figures (PDF)](/-/media/websites/imf/imported-full-text-pdf/external/pubs/ft/wp/2012/_wp12248.pdf){rel="external" type="application/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)](/external/japanese/pubs/ft/wp/2012/wp12248j.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [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)](/external/japanese/pubs/ft/wp/2012/wp12248j.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

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_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/can-women-save-japan-40048_