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The contribution of increased life expectancy to economic development in twentieth century Japan

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  • Hickson, Kerry Jane

Abstract

This paper estimates the value of improved health in Japan over the twentieth century. By valuing the decline in the death rate and appending this to existing measures of GDP per capita it is possible to calculate health augmented GDP per capita growth and generate original results about the monetary value of improved life expectancy over the twentieth century in Japan. The findings of the paper indicate that this is a pertinent exercise because GDP per capita growth approximately doubles when it is extended to include increases in the life expectancy of the population of Japan. These results also provide a justification for the increase in health care service spending that was evident at the close of the twentieth century.

Suggested Citation

  • Hickson, Kerry Jane, 2009. "The contribution of increased life expectancy to economic development in twentieth century Japan," Journal of Asian Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(4), pages 489-504, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:asieco:v:20:y:2009:i:4:p:489-504
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    Cited by:

    1. Lei He & Na Li, 2020. "The linkages between life expectancy and economic growth: some new evidence," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 58(5), pages 2381-2402, May.
    2. Bayram AYDIN, 2020. "The Impact of Economic Indicators on Life Expectancy: A Panel Data Analysis," Istanbul Journal of Economics-Istanbul Iktisat Dergisi, Istanbul University, Faculty of Economics, vol. 70(1), pages 163-181, June.
    3. Hickson, Kerry, 2012. "The Untold Standards of Living Story: The GDP value of Twentieth Century Health Improvements in Developed Economies," CAGE Online Working Paper Series 105, Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE).
    4. Ya-Hui Huang & Chien-Chiang Lee & Chun-Ping Chang, 2016. "Medical Personnel and Life Expectancy: New Evidence from Taiwan," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 128(3), pages 1425-1447, September.
    5. Lei He & Zhengqi Wang, 2023. "The interaction effects of rising life expectancy and the public pension burden on aggregate savings and economic growth," Portuguese Economic Journal, Springer;Instituto Superior de Economia e Gestao, vol. 22(2), pages 229-250, May.
    6. Kerry Hickson, 2014. "The GDP Value of Twentieth-Century Health Improvements in Developed Economies: Initial Estimates for England," Review of Income and Wealth, International Association for Research in Income and Wealth, vol. 60(2), pages 385-399, June.
    7. Taguchi, Hiroyuki & Latjin, Mirani, 2022. "The effects of demographic dynamics on economic growth in EU economies: A panel vector autoregressive approach," MPRA Paper 113596, University Library of Munich, Germany.

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