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Health Insurance Reform and Economic Growth: Simulation Analysis in Japan
Get PDFThis paper evaluates the drastic reforms of Japanese public health insurance initiatedin 2006. We employ a computable general equilibrium framework to numerically examine the reforms for an aging Japan in the dynamic context of overlapping generations. Our simulation produced the following results: First, an increase in theco-payment rate, a prominent feature of the 2006 reform, would promote economic growth and welfare by encouraging private saving. Second, the ex-post moral hazard behavior following the increase in co-payment rates, however, reduces economic growth. Third, Japan's trend of increasing the future public health insurance benefits can mainly be explained by its aging population, and increasing the co-payment rate does little to reduce future payments of public health insurance benefits. Fourth, the effect on future economic burdens of reducing medical costs through efficiencies in publichealth insurance, emphasis on preventive medical care, or technological progress inthe medical field is small. Finally, a policy of maintaining public health insurance at a fixed percentage of GDP will require reducing public health insurance benefits, perhaps up to 45% by 2050. Such a policy also reduces economic growth until approximately 2035. Our simulation indicates that the reform does not significantly reduce future public health insurance benefits, but it can enhance economic growth and welfare by encouraging private saving.departmental bulletin pape
Study on Chinese Impact on Economic Sanctions against North Korea
Get PDFAs the U.S. and South Korea expressed solidarity in blaming North Korea for its attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan and in imposing further sanctions on North Korea, global attention is now focused on China with regard to whether it will cooperate in inflicting punitive measures on its ally. Despite the worsening cleavages between China and North Korea since October 2006 when the latter tested its nuclear weapons, this study shows that their relations has remained robust in the economic context although it has experienced a political transition. This paper begins with the Sino-DPRK relations by exploring the status of the alliance in transition in the political and military context. Further, it considers the economic context between the two nations by reviewing Chinese aid to North Korea and North Korea's trade data, using the "flow of goods" as a proxy for "flow of money." Then, this paper applies North Korea's strategic interaction with the U.S. in the game theoretic methods in order to illustrate the Chinese impact on the efficiency of economic sanctions on North Korea. The study found that China's role remains consequential as the strategies of North Korea and the U.S. depend on China's position in their strategy interaction.departmental bulletin pape
Regulated Medical Fee Schedule of the Japanese Health Care System
Get PDFWe present a theoretical framework for investigating the effect of the Japanese government-regulated medical fee schedule, `Shinryo-Houshu-Seido,' on the behavior of medical providers. We also discuss the optimal rule of this fee schedule for the regulator, taking into account information asymmetry between the regulator and providers. Our simple model predicts that under the current fee schedule heterogeneous providers either under-provide or over-provide medical inputs, depending on the price. Furthermore, our analytical results show that when the allocated budget is reduced to a certain level, even the second-best outcome becomes unachievable, no matter how the fee schedule is regulated. While we demonstrate that the global budget caps or the limited budget size is shown to have a clear negative effect on social welfare, we suggest that the prospect of obtaining the second-best outcome without complete information on heterogeneous providers is left to negotiation between the regulator and the budget allocator.departmental bulletin pape
Spatial Dimensions of Income Inequality and Poverty in Bangladesh: An Analysis of the 2005 Household Income and Expenditure Survey Data
Get PDFUsing the 2005 Household Income and Expenditure Survey, this paper examinedincome inequality and poverty in Bangladesh with particular focus on their spatial dimensions. Since disparity among administrative divisions is small,inequalities within each administrative division, particularly urban inequality,need to be reduced. Since education appears to have played an important role ininequality, especially in urban areas, raising general educational level is essential. Since wages and salaries serve to have mitigated inequality, especially in urban areas, opportunities for formal income should be expanded. Though the effectmay be small, transfer programs should be expanded to raise income among thepoorest. In addition to raising general educational level, it is necessary to provide primary education throughout the country in order to mitigate poverty. It isimperative to raise agricultural productivity in both rural and urban sectors. Furthermore, non-agricultural activities should be promoted according to the pattern of comparative advantages.departmental bulletin pape
Financing Emissions Reduction in Asia: Policy Options and Constraints
Get PDFClimate change due to emissions from fast growing developing economies of Asia is sounding an alarm bell for policymakers not only in Asia, but also in the world. This situation raises the urgent need for undertaking measures to control emissions with due consideration of the prevailing socio-economic situation specific to Asia, which still houses large proportions of the poor. Without appropriate price signals, emerging Asia may not trigger technological innovation and leverage private investments towards emissions reductions. Increased public and private financial resources are necessary to fill the gap between the 'business as usual' and low carbon emission scenarios, to work out possible solutions and addressing the capacity barriers, which may exist at different levels. ODA from regionally and financially sound countries such as Japan and China can be an important mechanism for regional and international cooperation, especially where there is a shortage of private investment. In order to establish a green economy, based on low-carbon use and increased human welfare, it is necessary to have a core set of indicators that can be used to measure the progress of a country transiting to a low carbon economy.departmental bulletin pape
Spatial Adaptation of the MSV Model, with Special Reference to World Development Report 2009 and Korean Examples
Get PDFBased on the spatially adapted Murphy, Shleifer, and Vishny (MSV) model, this paper reviews major concepts of the World Development Report 2009 – density, distance and division. It is argued that the concepts of poverty trap, and partial and complete industrialization in the model capture the stages of incipient (density), intermediate (distance), and advanced (division) urbanization, described in the report. In addition, the report explains the concepts of Critical Minimum Effort and the Critical Minimum Retreat through spatially blind, connective, and targeted policies, which are all appropriate policies for each stage of urbanization. Relevant Korean examples are provided.departmental bulletin pape
初級学生が遭遇した接触場面の問題を授業に生かす実践活動
Get PDF初級レベルの日本語学習者の接触場面における言語管理能力を向上させるための二つの実践活動について報告する。一つは、学習者が日本語使用の接触場面で遭遇した問題とその管理方法の事例に関する実態調査を行い、その分析結果を一般的なテーマに分類して、解決方法とともにシラバスに組み入れたことである。もう一つは、履修中の個々の学習者が直近に遭遇した特定の問題とその管理の方策を授業で取り上げたことである。departmental bulletin pape
「話しあう・語りあう・言いあう」についての一考察
Get PDF2010 http://hdl.handle.net/10623/31442 動詞に「あう」をつけることにより、相互に働きかけのない動詞が、相互に働きかけのある動詞になり、相互動詞と呼ばれる。本稿では相互動詞のうちの「話しあう、語りあう、言いあう」について扱い、相互関係がある用法とない用法があることがわかった。相互関係がある場合には、動作が行なわれる様態、頻度、時間の長さなどについて特徴が見られた。さらに、相互関係がある場合には「～と一緒に」は「～あう」という動詞と共起できないと言われているが、必ずしもそうでないこともわかった。最後に、相互構文において、動作の主体を主語と補語に分けた場合に、常に補語の位置にしか現れることができない相互構文の存在が明らかになった。departmental bulletin pape
Identifying barriers for the implementation and the operation of biogas power generation projects in Southeast Asia: An analysis of clean development mechanism projects in Thailand
Get PDFTapioca starch and palm oil industries are considered as ones of the fast-growing agro-industries in Thailand. Both industries release a significant amount of wastewater with high organic content as a result of their production processes. Traditionally, open pond systems have been used to treat wastewater and consequently achieve compliance with environmental standards. Over the last few years however, more sustainable, expensive and modern alternatives have begun to be used to treat wastewater (mainly anaerobic reactors). The start of clean development mechanism (CDM) projects in Thailand has also contributed significantly to this expansion.1 One significant advantage of the anaerobic reactors, over the open ponds, is the possibility of capturing, in a controlled environment, the greenhouse gases (GHGs) generated, principally biogas with a high concentration of methane. The biogas can be used to generate heat and/or produce electricity, substituting fossil fuels as an energy source. The number of biogas utilization projects in Thailand and the Southeast Asia region has been increasing substantially in recent years. While a biogas plant can bring economic benefits with respect to energy self-sufficiency and cost-saving over time, the design and operation of a biogas plant requires high investments and is still perceived as a risky business due to a number of barriers. In addition, actual data from biogas plants indicate that the performance of a biogas plant with respect to the amount of biogas is not as attractive as it was initially expected among the project developers. Even though many literatures show the performance of biogas plants in certain experimental conditions, surprisingly, few literatures have explained or have shown data about the low performance of the biogas plants compared to the expected projected performance or design. The purpose of this study is to identify these barriers in biogas technology implementation and operation in Thailand, and to determine how these barriers lower the performance of the biogas business. The study was conducted based on the analysis of 48 selected CDM projects in Thailand and further analysis through consultation with relevant professionals in CDM and the biogas business in Thailand. The results of this study provide important lessons for future biogas utilization and greenhouse gas emission reductions in the Southeast Asian region.departmental bulletin pape