IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/osk/wpaper/1316r.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

A Panel Study of Zombie SMEs in Japan: Identification, Borrowing and Investment Behavior

Author

Listed:
  • Kentaro Imai

    (Graduate School of Economics, Osaka University)

Abstract

Using a panel dataset of firms for the period 1999-2008, we estimated the prevalence of zombies among Japanese Small- and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and their borrowing and investment behaviors. We observe that 4-14% of SMEs were zombie firms during the period 1999-2008. Analysis of borrowing behavior indicates that zombie firms could not reduce their loans. Reductions in the land values of SMEs did not lead to a decrease in the borrowing of zombie firms due to ever-greening. We also observe that the profitability of investment, measured by marginal q, did not increase investment among zombie firms because evergreen loans increased investment in less productive and profitable projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Kentaro Imai, 2013. "A Panel Study of Zombie SMEs in Japan: Identification, Borrowing and Investment Behavior," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 13-16-Rev., Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics, revised Sep 2014.
    • Handle: RePEc:osk:wpaper:1316r
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www2.econ.osaka-u.ac.jp/library/global/dp/1316R.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fumio Hayashi & Edward C. Prescott, 2004. "The 1990s in Japan: a lost decade," Chapters, in: Paolo Onofri (ed.), The Economics of an Ageing Population, chapter 2, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Ogawa, Kazuo & Kitasaka, Shin-ichi & Yamaoka, Hiroshi & Iwata, Yasuharu, 1996. "Borrowing Constraints and the Role of Land Asset in Japanese Corporate Investment Decision," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 10(2), pages 122-149, June.
    3. Kazuo Ogawa, 2003. "Financial Distress and Corporate Investment: The Japanese Case in the 90s," ISER Discussion Paper 0584, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    4. Ricardo J. Caballero & Takeo Hoshi & Anil K. Kashyap, 2008. "Zombie Lending and Depressed Restructuring in Japan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1943-1977, December.
    5. MATSUURA Katsumi & HORI Masahiro, 2003. "Special Credit Guarantee and Restructuring of Small Firms(in Japanese)," ESRI Discussion paper series 050, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    6. Ogawa, Kazuo & Suzuki, Kazuyuki, 1998. "Land Value and Corporate Investment: Evidence from Japanese Panel Data," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 12(3), pages 232-249, September.
    7. Shin‐ichi Fukuda & Jun‐ichi Nakamura, 2011. "Why Did ‘Zombie’ Firms Recover in Japan?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34, pages 1124-1137, July.
    8. Hayashi, Fumio & Inoue, Tohru, 1991. "The Relation between Firm Growth and Q with Multiple Capital Goods: Theory and Evidence from Panel Data on Japanese Firms," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 59(3), pages 731-753, May.
    9. Ogawa, K. & Kitasaka, S.-I., 2000. "Bank Lending in Japan: its Determinants and Macroeconomic Implications," ISER Discussion Paper 0505, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    10. Fumio Hayashi & Edward C. Prescott, 2002. "The 1990s in Japan: A Lost Decade," Review of Economic Dynamics, Elsevier for the Society for Economic Dynamics, vol. 5(1), pages 206-235, January.
    11. Takeo Hoshi & Anil K. Kashyap, 2004. "Japan's Financial Crisis and Economic Stagnation," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 18(1), pages 3-26, Winter.
    12. Alan Ahearne & Naoki Shinada, 2005. "Zombie firms and economic stagnation in Japan," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 2(4), pages 363-381, December.
    13. Motonishi, Taizo & Yoshikawa, Hiroshi, 1999. "Causes of the Long Stagnation of Japan during the 1990s: Financial or Real?," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 181-200, September.
    14. Takeo Hoshi, 2006. "Economics Of The Living Dead," The Japanese Economic Review, Japanese Economic Association, vol. 57(1), pages 30-49, March.
    15. Shin-Ichi Fukuda & Munehisa Kasuya & Jouchi Nakajima, 2006. "Deteriorating Bank Health and Lending in Japan: Evidence from Unlisted Companies under Financial Distress," Journal of the Asia Pacific Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(4), pages 482-501.
    16. Berglof, Erik & Roland, Gerard, 1997. "Soft budget constraints and credit crunches in financial transition," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 41(3-5), pages 807-817, April.
    17. Sakai, Koji & Uesugi, Iichiro & Watanabe, Tsutomu, 2010. "Firm age and the evolution of borrowing costs: Evidence from Japanese small firms," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 34(8), pages 1970-1981, August.
    18. Nagahata, Takashi & Sekine, Toshitaka, 2005. "Firm investment, monetary transmission and balance-sheet problems in Japan: an investigation using micro data," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 17(3), pages 345-369, August.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kentaro Imai, 2013. "A Panel Study of eZombie f SMEs in Japan: Identification, Borrowing and Investment Behavior," Discussion Papers in Economics and Business 13-16, Osaka University, Graduate School of Economics.
    2. Imai, Kentaro, 2016. "A panel study of zombie SMEs in Japan: Identification, borrowing and investment behavior," Journal of the Japanese and International Economies, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 91-107.
    3. Kasahara, Hiroyuki & Sawada, Yasuyuki & Suzuki, Michio, 2024. "The effect of bank recapitalization policy on credit allocation, investment, and productivity: Evidence from a banking crisis in Japan," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    4. Hiroyuki Kasahara & Yasuyuki Sawada & Michio Suzuki, 2016. "Monetary Policy and Covered Interest Parity in the Post GFC Period: Evidence from the Australian Dollar and the NZ Dollar," CIRJE F-Series CIRJE-F-1033, CIRJE, Faculty of Economics, University of Tokyo.
    5. Nakashima, Kiyotaka & Takahashi, Koji, 2018. "The real effects of bank-driven termination of relationships: Evidence from loan-level matched data," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 46-65.
    6. Hiroyuki Kasahara & Yasuyuki Sawada & Michio Suzuki, 2016. "The Effect of Bank Recapitalization Policy on Corporate Investment: Evidence from a Banking Crisis in Japan," CARF F-Series CARF-F-399, Center for Advanced Research in Finance, Faculty of Economics, The University of Tokyo.
    7. Akiyoshi, Fumio & Kobayashi, Keiichiro, 2010. "Banking crisis and productivity of borrowing firms: Evidence from Japan," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 22(3), pages 141-150, August.
    8. W. R. Garside, 2012. "Japan’s Great Stagnation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14624.
    9. Roberto Piazza, 2015. "Deflation expectations and Japan's lost decade," Questioni di Economia e Finanza (Occasional Papers) 274, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    10. Kazuo Ogawa, 2004. "Debt, R&D Investment and Technological Progress: A Panel Study of Japanese Manufacturing Firms in the 90s," ISER Discussion Paper 0607, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    11. Ricardo J. Caballero & Takeo Hoshi & Anil K. Kashyap, 2008. "Zombie Lending and Depressed Restructuring in Japan," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 98(5), pages 1943-1977, December.
    12. Uchida, Hirofumi & Miyakawa, Daisuke & Hosono, Kaoru & Ono, Arito & Uchino, Taisuke & Uesugi, Iichiro, 2013. "Natural Disaster and Natural Selection," Working Paper Series 25, Center for Interfirm Network, Institute of Economic Research, Hitotsubashi University.
    13. Inoue, Hitoshi & Nakashima, Kiyotaka & Takahashi, Koji, 2018. "The Emergence of A Parallel World: The Misperception Problem for Bank Balance Sheet Risk and Lending Behavior," MPRA Paper 89088, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    14. Qiao, Lu & Fei, Junjun, 2022. "Government subsidies, enterprise operating efficiency, and “stiff but deathless” zombie firms," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    15. Wako Watanabe, 2004. "Prudential Regulation, the Credit Crunch" and the Ineffectiveness of Monetary Policy: Evidence from Japan," ISER Discussion Paper 0617, Institute of Social and Economic Research, Osaka University.
    16. Yasuyuki Sawada & Kazumitsu Nawata & Masako Ii & Mark J. Lee, 2011. "Did the Financial Crisis in Japan Affect Household Welfare Seriously?," Journal of Money, Credit and Banking, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(2‐3), pages 297-324, March.
    17. Morana, Claudio, 2004. "The Japanese stagnation: an assessment of the productivity slowdown hypothesis," Japan and the World Economy, Elsevier, vol. 16(2), pages 193-211, April.
    18. Kyoji Fukao, 2013. "Explaining Japan's Unproductive Two Decades," Asian Economic Policy Review, Japan Center for Economic Research, vol. 8(2), pages 193-213, December.
    19. Tatsuyoshi Miyakoshi, 2010. "A Welfare Cost Of The Lost Decade In Japan," Australian Economic Papers, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(1), pages 28-43, March.
    20. Imai, Masami, 2022. "Local economic impacts of legislative malapportionment," Journal of Urban Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    zombie firms; ever-greening; SMEs; borrowing; investment;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • G21 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Banks; Other Depository Institutions; Micro Finance Institutions; Mortgages
    • E22 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Investment; Capital; Intangible Capital; Capacity
    • E44 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Money and Interest Rates - - - Financial Markets and the Macroeconomy

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:osk:wpaper:1316r. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: The Economic Society of Osaka University (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/feosujp.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.