Why Japanese workers remain in the labor force so long: Lessons for the United States?

Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology

Volumn 24, Issue 4, 2009, Pages 321-337

  Williamson, John B ^a   Higo, Masa ^a  

^a BOSTON COLLEGE   (United States)

Author keywords

Cultural values; Japan; Labor policy; Older workers; The United States

Indexed keywords

AGED; AGING; ARTICLE; CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY; EMPLOYMENT; HUMAN; JAPAN; LIFE EXPECTANCY; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; POLICY; SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY; UNITED STATES;

AGED; AGING; CULTURE; EMPLOYMENT; HUMANS; JAPAN; LIFE EXPECTANCY; MALE; MIDDLE AGED; PUBLIC POLICY; SOCIAL VALUES; UNITED STATES;

EID: 71549134007     PISSN: 01693816     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1007/s10823-009-9102-1     Document Type: Article

References (34)

1. Benitez-Silva, H. (2002). Job search behavior at the end of the life cycle. Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers (No. 2002-10). Chestnut Hill, MA. Available at http://www.bc.edu/centers/crr/papers/wp_2002-10.pdf, accessed on October 3, 2007.
2. Blanchflower, D. G. (2004). Self-employment: More may not be better. National Bureau of Economic Research Working Paper (No. 10286). Cambridge, MA. Available at http://www.nber.org/papers/W10286.pdf, accessed October 3, 2007.
3. Cabinet Office, Government of Japan. (2007). Annual report on the aging society 2006. Tokyo: Office of Government Public Relations.
4. Dunfee, T., & Nagayasu, Y. (2003). Business ethics: Japan and the global economy. New York: Springer.
5. Huh, E., & McLellan, S. (2007). A tale of two pension reforms: A US-Japan comparison. Pension Research Council Working Paper at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (No. 2007-1). Available at http://www.pensionresearchcouncil.org/publications/document.php?file=280 , accessed on September 18, 2007.
6. Inglehart, R. F., Basanez, M., & Moreno, A. (1998). Human values and beliefs: A cross-cultural sourcebook. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan Press.
7. International Labor Organization (ILO). (2008). LABORSTA Internet-total economically active population. Available at http://laborsta.ilo.org/, accessed on June 24, 2008.
8. Karoly, A. L., & Zissimopoulos, J. (2004). Self-employment among older U. S. workers. Monthly Labor Review (July 2004). Available at http://www.bls.gov/opub/mlr/2004/07/art3full.pdf, accessed on September 19, 2007.
9. Kiyokawa, Y., & Yamane, H. (2004). Nihonjin no kinrōkan-ishiki chōsa ni miru sono henkan [Japanese attitude toward working: the transition of the attitude toward working found in existing opinion surveys]. Ōhara Shakaimondai Kenkyūjo Zasshi [Ōhara Research Institute for Social Problems], 542, 14-33.
10. Maeda, N. (2006). Akutyibu eijingu no shakaigaku-kōreisha, shigoto, nettowāku [Toward a sociology of active aging: The elderly, work, and social network]. Tokyo: Mineruva Shobō.
11. Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. (2006). White paper on aging society (2006th ed.). Tokyo: Office of Government Public Relations.
12. Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare. (2007). White paper on aging society (2007th ed.). Tokyo: Office of Government Public Relations.
13. Munnell, A. H., & Sass, S. A. (2007). The labor supply of older Americans. Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers (No. 2007-12). Chestnut Hill, MA. Available at http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Working_Papers/wp_2007-12.pdf, accessed on October 12, 2007.
14. National Institute of Population and Social Security Research. (2007). Annual report on social security statistics. Tokyo: Office of Government Public Relations.
15. National Silver Human Resource Center. (2008). Active ageing-national statistics. Available at http://www.zsjc.or.jp/rhx/upload/Statistics/2.pdf, accessed on September 16, 2008.
16. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (OECD). (2004). The OECD: A friendly work environment. Paris: OECD.
17. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (OECD). (2005). Extending opportunities-how active social policy can benefit us all. Paris: OECD.
18. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. (OECD). (2007). Health at a glance 2007: OECD indicators. Paris: OECD.
19. Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) (2008). OECD. StatExtracts-LFS by sex and age. Available at http://stats.oecd.org/WBOS/Index.aspx?QueryName=451&QueryType=View, accessed on June 7, 2008.
20. Rix, S. E. (2004). Public policy and the ageing workforce in the United States. Social Policy & Society, 3(2), 171-179.
21. Seike, A. (2006). Sekai no kōreika to koyōseisaku-Eiji frendorii na seisaku ni yoru shūgyō kikai no kakudai ni mukete [The aging world and employment policies: Toward expansion of employment opportunities with age-friendly policies]. Tokyo: Akashishoten.
22. Seike, A., & Yamada, A. (2004). Kōreisha shūrou no keizaigaku [The economics of older workers' labor force participation]. Tokyo: Nihon Keizai Shinbunsha.
23. Seike, A., & Yamada, A. (2006). The work and retirement behavior of older people in Japan: An analysis using employment status survey: 1982-2002. Tokyo: Office of Government Public Relations.
24. Senior Community Service Employment Program, U. S. Department of Labor Employment & Training Administration (SCSEP). (2008). FY 2004 performance results summary. Available at http://www.doleta.gov/Seniors/html_docs/GranteePerf.cfm, accessed on August 26, 2008.
25. Shultz, K. S., & Wang, M. (2007). The influence of specific physical health conditions on retirement decisions. International Journal of Aging and Human Development, 65(2), 149-161.
26. Sodekawa, Y., Hanajima, Y., & Morisumi, M. (2005). Dankai to dankai junia no kazokugaku [The family dynamics of the Dankai generation and their children]. Tokyo: Dentsū.
27. Tsukamoto, N. (2007). Social consequences of diversified employment: From a perspective of work and society. Asian Business & Management, 6(2), 199-218.
28. U. S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. (2008). The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967, section 623 (a)-(l). Available at: http://www.eeoc.gov/policy/adea.html, accessed on July 23, 2008.
29. U. S. Office of Management and Budget. (2008). Detailed information on the Senior Community Service Employment Program assessment. Available at: http://www.whitehouse.gov/OMB/expectmore/detail/10000328.2003.html, accessed on July 22, 2008.
30. Williamson, J. B., & Higo M. (2007). Why do Japanese workers remain in the labor force so long? Center for Retirement Research at Boston College Working Papers (No. 2007-11). Chestnut Hill, MA. Available at http://crr.bc.edu/images/stories/Working_Papers/wp_2007-11.pdf?phpMyAdmi n=43ac483c4de9t51d9eb41, accessed on January 26, 2009.
31. World Health Organization (WHO). (2002). The world health report 2002-reducing risks, promoting healthy life. Geneva: World Health Organization.
32. World Health Organization (WHO). (2005). Healthy life expectancy 2002 from the 2004 world health report. Geneva: World Health Organization.
33. World Health Organization (WHO). (2006). The world health report 2006-working together for health. Geneva: World Health Organization.
34. Yamada, Y., Sugisawa, H., Sugihara, Y., & Shidata, H. (2005). Factors relating to organizational commitment of older male employees in Japan. Journal of Cross-Cultural Gerontology, 20(3), 181-190.