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Regional variations in labor force behavior of women in Japan

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  • Abe, Yukiko

Abstract

This study uses cross-sectional data to investigate regional differences in women's participation in the labor market. Women's participation is high in the northern coastal region of Japan. This high rate of participation is caused by the fact that married women with children participate as regular full-time employees. Supply and demand factors explain part of the differences, but regional effects remain even after controlling for them. I attribute the high participation in the northern coastal region to long-standing norms regarding women's work.

Suggested Citation

  • Abe, Yukiko, 2013. "Regional variations in labor force behavior of women in Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(C), pages 112-124.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:japwor:v:28:y:2013:i:c:p:112-124
    DOI: 10.1016/j.japwor.2013.08.004
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    8. Eiji Yamamura & Yoshiro Tsutsui, 2021. "Changing views about remote working during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence using panel data from Japan," Papers 2101.08480, arXiv.org.
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    11. Takao Kato & Naomi Kodama, 2018. "The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility on Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Econometric Evidence from Japan," British Journal of Industrial Relations, London School of Economics, vol. 56(1), pages 99-127, March.
    12. Kawabata, Mizuki & Abe, Yukiko, 2018. "Intra-metropolitan spatial patterns of female labor force participation and commute times in Tokyo," Regional Science and Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 291-303.
    13. Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2017. "Family Policies and Female Employment in Japan," The Japanese Economic Review, Springer, vol. 68(3), pages 305-322, September.
    14. KATO Takao & KODAMA Naomi, 2016. "Corporate Social Responsibility and Gender Diversity in the Workplace: Evidence from Japan," Discussion papers 16063, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    15. Asai, Yukiko & Kambayashi, Ryo & Yamaguchi, Shintaro, 2015. "Crowding-Out Effect of Publicly Provided Childcare: Why Maternal Employment Did Not Increase," Discussion Paper Series 626, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    16. Yudai Higashi, 2020. "Urbanization Effects on Job Search Decision," Discussion Paper Series DP2020-26, Research Institute for Economics & Business Administration, Kobe University, revised Sep 2022.
    17. Shintaro Yamaguchi, 2016. "Family Policies and Female Employment in Japan," Department of Economics Working Papers 2016-06, McMaster University.
    18. Ahmed, Salma & Feeny, Simon & Posso, Alberto, 2015. "What firm characteristics determine women’s employment in manufacturing? Evidence from Bangladesh," MPRA Paper 84492, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    19. Abe, Yukiko, 2018. "Effects of demographic compositional changes on the convergence of female participation rates," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 97-104.
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    21. Asakawa, Shinsuke & Sasaki, Masaru, 2022. "Can child benefit reductions increase maternal employment? Evidence from Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    22. Fukai, Taiyo, 2017. "Childcare availability and fertility: Evidence from municipalities in Japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 43(C), pages 1-18.
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    24. Higashi, Yudai, 2018. "Spatial spillovers in job matching: Evidence from the Japanese local labor markets," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-15.
    25. Higa, Kazuhito & Nonaka, Ryota & Tsurumi, Tetsuya & Managi, Shunsuke, 2019. "Migration and human capital: Evidence from japan," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 54(C).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Regional differences; Regular employment; Part-time employment; Japan; Norm;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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