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On the Role of Policy Interventions in Structural Change and Economic Development: The Case of Postwar Japan

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  • Julen ESTEBAN-PRETEL
  • SAWADA Yasuyuki

Abstract

In this paper, we study the structural change occurring in Japan's post-World War II era of rapid economic growth. We use a two-sector neoclassical growth model with government policies to analyze the evolution of the Japanese economy in this period and to assess the role of such policies. Our model is able to replicate the empirical behavior of the main macroeconomic variables. Three findings emerge from our policy analysis. First, neither price and investment subsidies to the agricultural sector, nor industrial policy play a crucial role in the rapid postwar growth. Second, while a government subsidy for families in urban areas could have facilitated migration from the agricultural to the non-agricultural sector, such a policy would not have improved the overall performance of the Japanese economy. Finally, had there existed a labor migration barrier, the negative long-run level effect on output would have been substantial.

Suggested Citation

  • Julen ESTEBAN-PRETEL & SAWADA Yasuyuki, 2009. "On the Role of Policy Interventions in Structural Change and Economic Development: The Case of Postwar Japan," Discussion papers 09001, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    • Handle: RePEc:eti:dpaper:09001
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    Cited by:

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    2. Alonso-Carrera, Jaime & Raurich, Xavier, 2018. "Labor mobility, structural change and economic growth," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 292-310.
    3. Aoki, Shuhei, 2012. "A simple accounting framework for the effect of resource misallocation on aggregate productivity," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 26(4), pages 473-494.
    4. Hirakata, Naohisa & Sunakawa, Takeki, 2019. "Financial frictions, capital misallocation and structural change," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 1-1.
    5. Aoki, Shuhei & 青木, 周平, 2011. "A Model of Technology Transfer in Japan's Rapid Economic Growth Period," IIR Working Paper 11-05, Institute of Innovation Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    6. Ikeda, Daisuke & Morita, Yasuko, 2020. "The effects of barriers to technology adoption on japanese prewar and postwar economic growth," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    7. Shuhei Aoki & Julen Esteban-Pretel & Tetsuji Okazaki & Yasuyuki Sawada, 2010. "The Role of the Government in Facilitating TFP Growth during Japan’s Rapid-growth Era," Palgrave Macmillan Books, in: Keijiro Otsuka & Kaliappa Kalirajan (ed.), Community, Market and State in Development, chapter 4, pages 21-44, Palgrave Macmillan.
    8. Sim Seung-Gyu & Oh Seungjoon, 2017. "Economic growth and labor market friction: a quantitative study on Japanese structural transformation," The B.E. Journal of Macroeconomics, De Gruyter, vol. 17(1), pages 1-38, January.
    9. Costa, Naijela Silveira da & Ferraz, Diogo & Moralles, Herick Fernando & Nascimento, Daisy do, 2022. "Economic complexity and human development: comparing standard and slack-based data envelopment analysis models," Revista CEPAL, Naciones Unidas Comisión Económica para América Latina y el Caribe (CEPAL), August.
    10. MIYAZAWA Kensuke, 2011. "Measuring Human Capital in Japan," Discussion papers 11037, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    11. Ferraz, Diogo & Moralles, Hérick Fernando & Suarez Campoli, Jéssica & Ribeiro de Oliveira, Fabíola Cristina & do Nascimento Rebelatto, Daisy Aparecida, 2018. "Economic Complexity and Human Development: DEA performance measurement in Asia and Latin America," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 25(4), pages 839-853.
    12. Pi, Jiancai & Zhang, Pengqing, 2018. "Structural change and wage inequality," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 58(C), pages 699-707.
    13. Ye, Longfeng & Robertson, Peter E., 2019. "Hitting the Great Wall: Structural change and China's growth slowdown," China Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Kensuke Miyazawa, 2017. "Measuring Human Capital in Japan," Public Policy Review, Policy Research Institute, Ministry of Finance Japan, vol. 13(3), pages 241-268, November.

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    JEL classification:

    • E1 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - General Aggregative Models
    • O1 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development
    • O41 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - One, Two, and Multisector Growth Models

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