Ageing and the Labor Market in Japan

This book is a concerted attempt by economists to investigate and offer remedies for some of the difficulties associated with an ageing labor market. The economic problems of ageing combined with a declining population manifest themselves most acutely in the present Japanese economy. Demographic trends present serious social and economic problems for Japan, and the rest of the global community is affected by the ways in which it copes with these difficulties. The contributors to this book study Japan's experience, which is crucial for understanding the nature of ageing problems and for developing feasible policies to address them. Ageing labor markets could distort the employment mechanism, create youth unemployment, and disrupt incentives for human capital formation in younger workers. Though an economic approach is the core methodology in the book, it also encompasses diverse perspectives including sociological considerations of labor markets and negotiating behaviour within households. The international implications of the problems are emphasized in the chapters that deal with immigration and capital markets. This book will be an indispensable tool for economists, policy makers and students concerned with the effects of ageing societies throughout the world.