Tax Burdens in Japan and South Korea: Measurement Using Average Effective Tax Rates

Although tax policies in Japan and South Korea have notably changed over recent decades, few studies have thoroughly examined the nature of these changes. Building on the average effective tax rates developed by Mendoza et al. (1994) and OECD researchers (Carey and Tchilinguirian 2000; Carey and Rabesona 2003) and extending and revising their original data, this study analyzes the structure of tax burdens in these two countries over 1995–2015. In particular, it examines the scholarly claim that taxation in these countries has become increasingly neoliberal over recent decades. The author finds insufficient evidence to support fiscal neoliberalism as race-to-the-bottom cuts in public taxation. Future studies may conduct in-depth comparative and case analyses to better understand the nature of the new tax structure emerging in these countries.