The effects of population ageing on public education in Japan : A reinterpretation using micro data.

This study explored the effects of population ageing on public education using Japanese micro data. In recent years, Japan has become the fastest-ageing society among the major countries; the ageing of the population is expected to progress rapidly, such that in 2050, the population of those 65 years of age or older will be about 37% of the total population. Owing to such rapid ageing of the population in Japan, it is important to understand whether the elderly have any preferences regarding public education services. Therefore, through the elderly’s reasons for choosing a place of residence, we examined the difference in their preferences for education due to differences in family type and asset conditions. The results of the analysis, like those obtained by Poterba (1998) and Ohtake and Sano (2009), suggest the possibility that elderly people who no longer live with their families do not support education. However as suggested by Hilber and Mayer (2009), elderly people who have more real estate assets can obtain indirect benefits from education; thus, even if they no longer live with their families, such elderly people may support education.