The Impact of Legal Precedents on Incentive Mechanism

• Project/Area Number: 20730195
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Research Field: Economic policy
• Research Institution: Ritsumeikan University
• Principal Investigator: SAKATA Kei Ritsumeikan University, 経済学部, 准教授 (60346137)
• Project Period (FY): 2008 – 2009
• Project Status: Completed (Fiscal Year 2009)
• Budget Amount: ¥2,470,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥570,000); Fiscal Year 2009: ¥1,040,000 (Direct Cost: ¥800,000、Indirect Cost: ¥240,000); Fiscal Year 2008: ¥1,430,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,100,000、Indirect Cost: ¥330,000)
• Keywords: 判例 / 離婚 / 同居 / 実証分析 / 判例インデックス / 家族経済学

Research Abstract

This research examined the impact of legal precedents on incentive mechanism. This research undertakes a time series analysis of the Japanese divorce rate using annual data over the period 1964. 2006. One of the key innovations of this research is to use court decisions on divorce disputes to construct an index that seeks to measure how the probability of success in a divorce suit has changed over time.
In addition to the analysis of divorce, this research has examined why young people in Japan live with their parents. There is wide cross-country variation in the percentage of young adults who live with their parents. These trends are also found for Japanese youth. Fogli (2004) provides evidence that young people choose to live with their parents when there is a high degree of employment protection and severe credit constraints. In order to measure the degree of employment protection in Japan, we use the ratio of the number of unfair dismissal cases won by workers to the number of cases which went to a trial. As a result, the degree of job security appears to raise the probability of single females living with their parents.

Research Products

• [Journal Article] Social Security and Divorce in Japan (2009)
  • Author(s): Sakata, K, C.R. McKenzie, McKenzie, C.R.
  • Journal Title: Mathematics and Computers in Simulation Pages: 1202-1208
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] Social Security and Divorce in Japan (2009)
  • Author(s): 坂田圭・コリン・マッケンジー
  • Journal Title: Anderssen, R.S., R.D.Braddock and L.T.H.Newham(eds)18th World IMACS Congress and MODSIM09 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation.Modelling and Simulation Society of Australia and New Zealand and International Association for Mathematics and Computers in Simulation, July 2009 Pages: 1202-1208
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A Time Series Analysis of the Divorce Rate in Japan Using a Precedent-Based Index (2008)
  • Author(s): Sakata, K, C.R. McKenzie, McKenzie, C.R.
  • Journal Title: Mathematics and Computers in Simulation Pages: 1-10
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Journal Article] A Time Series Analysis of the Divorce Rate in Japan Using a Precedent-Based Index(第二著者 : C. R. McKenzie) (2008)
  • Author(s): Kei, Sakata
  • Journal Title: Mathematics and Computers in Simulation
  • Peer Reviewed
• [Presentation] Does Taxation Affect Wedding and Family Planning Decisions? (2010)
  • Author(s): Sakata, K
  • Organizer: Microeconemetric Workshop
  • Place of Presentation: University of Melbourne, Australia
  • Year and Date: 2010-03-24
• [Presentation] Does Taxation Affect Wedding and Family Planning Decisions? (2010)
  • Author(s): 坂田圭
  • Organizer: Microeconemetric Workshop
  • Place of Presentation: University of Melbourne(オーストラリア)
  • Year and Date: 2010-03-24
• [Presentation] Social Security and Divorce in Japan (2009)
  • Author(s): Sakata, K
  • Organizer: The 18th World IMACS Congress and MODSIM09 International Congress on Modelling and Simulation
  • Place of Presentation: Cairns, Australia
  • Year and Date: 2009-07-14
• [Presentation] Why Do Single people Live with Their Parents? (2009)
  • Author(s): 坂田圭
  • Organizer: 公共経済学セミナー
  • Place of Presentation: 慶応義塾大学
  • Year and Date: 2009-06-26