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The Japanese Depression in the Interwar Period: A General Equilibrium Analysis

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  • Saijo Hikaru

    (University of Pennsylvania and University of Tokyo)

Abstract

This paper studies the Japanese depression in the interwar period using the business cycle accounting methodology and a general equilibrium model with time-varying markups. I find that the initial slowdown of the economy can be explained by a decline in productivity. However, I also find that when only productivity change is taken into account, a prototype neoclassical growth model predicts that in the 1930s, output recovers more rapidly than is actually supported by the data. Using restrictions from theory, I quantify the contribution of an increase in markups in the manufacturing and mining sectors and find that a substantial fraction of the weak recovery can be explained by this factor. I argue that this increase in markups is caused by government-promoted cartelization.

Suggested Citation

  • Saijo Hikaru, 2008. "The Japanese Depression in the Interwar Period: A General Equilibrium Analysis," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 8(1), pages 1-26, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bpj:bejmac:v:8:y:2008:i:1:n:25
    DOI: 10.2202/1935-1690.1614
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    3. Otsu Keisuke, 2009. "A Neoclassical Analysis of the Postwar Japanese Economy," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 9(1), pages 1-30, May.
    4. Brinca, Pedro & João, Costa-Filho, 2021. "Output falls and the international transmission of crises," MPRA Paper 107297, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Pedro Brinca & João Ricardo Costa Filho & Francesca Loria, 2024. "Business cycle accounting: What have we learned so far?," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 38(4), pages 1276-1316, September.
    6. Brinca, Pedro & Costa-Filho, João, 2021. "Economic depression in Brazil: the 2014-2016 fall," MPRA Paper 107298, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Petre Caraiani, 2016. "Business Cycle Accounting for Peripheral European Economies," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 63(5), pages 468-496, November.
    8. Masaru Inaba & Kengo Nutahara, 2012. "An application of business cycle accounting with misspecified wedges," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 15(2), pages 265-269, April.
    9. Emmanuel Ameyaw, 2023. "The relevance of domestic and foreign factors in driving Ghana’s business cycle," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(9), pages 1-33, September.
    10. Otsu Keisuke, 2010. "A Neoclassical Analysis of the Asian Crisis: Business Cycle Accounting for a Small Open Economy," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 10(1), pages 1-39, July.

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