An Empirical Analysis of the Impact of Minimum Wage Increases on Elderly Poverty Issues

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K13003
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 08020:Social welfare-related
• Research Institution: Rikkyo University (2021-2023); Teikyo Heisei University (2018-2020)
• Principal Investigator: Hatanaka Tohru 立教大学, コミュニティ福祉学部, 准教授 (70750818)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 公的年金 / 最低賃金 / 非正規雇用 / ナショナル・ミニマム / 貧困 / 格差

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The results of the examination of pension benefit levels using the minimum-wage model pension revealed that the level of public pension benefits is not sufficient to avoid poverty in old age for the working class who work at the minimum wage. It is also clear that for the elderly, moving into public housing and controlling the costs of medical care and long-term care are important for avoiding poverty.
The two effects on pension financing of an increase in the number of part-time workers joining the welfare pension system are that the average wage of welfare pensioners will decline, lowering the overall real pension amount for pension recipients, and that an increase in the ratio of welfare pensioners will shorten the macroeconomic adjustment period for the basic pension portion and reduce the gap in pension benefits over the long term. This is expected to have the twofold effect of reducing the gap in pension benefits in the long run.

Free Research Field

社会政策

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現在、政策的に進められている最低賃金の引き上げと、厚生年金の短時間労働者への加入拡大による高齢期の貧困抑制効果について検討を行った。これらの政策の有効性を明らかにした一方で、公的年金そのものの水準の低さや医療・介護政策における費用負担の問題など、社会保障制度全体にまたがる今後の政策課題を明示することができた。
また、最低賃金の引き上げは基本的に貧困抑制に有効手段であるものの、物価が上昇する経済状況においては、公的年金の実質額を低下させるという副作用を発見し、政策対応の必要性を指摘することができた。