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Factor decomposition of income inequality change : Japan's regional income disparity from 1955 to 1998

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  • Higashikata, Takayuki

Abstract

We propose a method for the decomposition of inequality changes based on panel data regression. The method is an efficient way to quantify the contributions of variables to changes of the Theil T index while satisfying the property of uniform addition. We illustrate the method using prefectural data from Japan for the period 1955 to 1998. Japan experienced a diminishing of regional income disparity during the years of high economic growth from 1955 to 1973. After estimating production functions using panel data for prefectures in Japan, we apply the new decomposition approach to identify each production factor’s contributions to the changes of per capita income inequality among prefectures. The decomposition results show that total factor productivity (residual) growth, population change (migration), and public capital stock growth contributed to the diminishing of per capita income disparity.

Suggested Citation

  • Higashikata, Takayuki, 2013. "Factor decomposition of income inequality change : Japan's regional income disparity from 1955 to 1998," IDE Discussion Papers 400, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    • Handle: RePEc:jet:dpaper:dpaper400
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Vladimir Hlasny, 2017. "Different Faces of Inequality across Asia: Decomposition of Income Gaps across Demographic Groups," LIS Working papers 691, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    2. Paul, Saumik & Fukao, Kyoji, 2017. "The Role of Structural Transformation in Regional Productivity Growth and Convergence in Japan: 1874 - 2008," CEI Working Paper Series 2016-12, Center for Economic Institutions, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    3. Fukao, Kyoji & 深尾, 京司 & Paul, Saumik, 2017. "The Role of Structural Transformation in Regional Convergence in Japan: 1874-2008," SSPJ Discussion Paper Series DP17-001, Service Sector Productivity in Japan: Determinants and Policies, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    4. Aizawa, Toshiaki & Dekle, Robert & Helble, Matthias, 2017. "Sources of Income Inequality: A Comparison of Japan and the United States," ADBI Working Papers 663, Asian Development Bank Institute.
    5. Fukao, Kyoji & Paul, Saumik, 2017. "The Role of Structural Transformation in Regional Convergence in Japan: 1874-2008," Discussion Paper Series 665, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Japan; Income distribution; Income inequality; Factor decomposition; Regional disparity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C63 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Mathematical Methods; Programming Models; Mathematical and Simulation Modeling - - - Computational Techniques
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • R12 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Size and Spatial Distributions of Regional Economic Activity; Interregional Trade (economic geography)

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