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The impact of (un)conventional expansionary monetary policy on income inequality – lessons from Japan

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  • Karl-Friedrich Israel
  • Sophia Latsos

Abstract

This paper analyzes the impact of conventional and unconventional monetary policy on income inequality in Japan, using hitherto unexplored data from the Japan Household Panel Survey. Empirical evidence shows that expansionary monetary policy in Japan has contributed to diminishing the gender pay gap through an increase in working time of women relative to men, but also to increasing the education pay gap. These effects may have materialized via the aggregate demand channel and the labour productivity channel. In contrast, expansionary monetary policy has had no significant impact on the development of the age pay gap.

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  • Karl-Friedrich Israel & Sophia Latsos, 2020. "The impact of (un)conventional expansionary monetary policy on income inequality – lessons from Japan," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 52(40), pages 4403-4420, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:v:52:y:2020:i:40:p:4403-4420
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2020.1735620
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    Cited by:

    1. Karl-Friedrich Israel & Tim Florian Sepp & Nils Sonnenberg, 2023. "The Effects of Unconventional Monetary Policy on Stock Markets and Household Incomes in Japan," Post-Print halshs-04024219, HAL.
    2. Khamdan Rifa'i, 2023. "The Economic Impact of the US Unconventional Monetary Policy, Global Commodity Shocks, and Oil Price Shocks on ASEAN 3," International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy, Econjournals, vol. 13(5), pages 616-624, September.
    3. Sigal Ribon, 2023. "Differential Effects of Monetary Policy on Household Consumption: The Case of Israel," Israel Economic Review, Bank of Israel, vol. 21(1), pages 35-73, March.
    4. Karl-Friedrich Israel & Tim Florian Sepp & Nils Sonnenberg, 2022. "Japanese monetary policy and household saving," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 54(21), pages 2373-2389, May.
    5. José Alves & Tomás Silva, 2021. "An Empirical Assessment of Monetary Policy Channels in Income and Wealth Disparities," Comparative Economic Studies, Palgrave Macmillan;Association for Comparative Economic Studies, vol. 63(3), pages 432-449, September.
    6. Louis Rouanet & Peter Hazlett, 2023. "The redistributive politics of monetary policy," Public Choice, Springer, vol. 194(1), pages 1-26, January.
    7. Israel, Karl-Friedrich & Sepp, Tim Florian & Sonnenberg, Nils, 2023. "The effects of unconventional monetary policy on stock markets and household incomes in Japan," Working Papers 177, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Economics and Management Science.
    8. Ahmed Mehedi Nizam, 2023. "An analysis of transnational transfer of wealth through cross-border financial transactions," SN Business & Economics, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 1-31, January.
    9. Trung Duc Nguyen & Lanh Kim Trieu & Anh Hoang Le, 2024. "The monetary policy of the State Bank of Vietnam, households and income distribution: the evidence from DSGE model," Journal of Financial Economic Policy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 16(4), pages 463-482, May.
    10. Bernd Hayo, 2023. "Does the ECB’s Monetary Policy Affect Personal Finances and Economic Inequality? A Household Perspective from Germany," MAGKS Papers on Economics 202023, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    11. Hayo, Bernd, 2023. "Does the ECB's monetary policy affect personal finances and economic inequality? A household perspective from Germany," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 129(C).
    12. Thomas Mayer & Gunther Schnabl, 2019. "Reasons for the Demise of Interest: Savings Glut and Secular Stagnation or Central Bank Policy?," CESifo Working Paper Series 7954, CESifo.
    13. Schnabl, Gunther & Murai, Taiki, 2020. "The Japanese banks in the lasting low-, zero- and negative-interest rate environment," Working Papers 169, University of Leipzig, Faculty of Economics and Management Science.
    14. Hayo, Bernd, 2021. "Does Quantitative Easing Affect People’s Personal Financial Situation and Economic Inequality? The View of the German Population," VfS Annual Conference 2021 (Virtual Conference): Climate Economics 242331, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • E58 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Central Banks and Their Policies

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