Trade Policy Preferences and Cross-Regional Differences: Evidence from individual-level data of Japan

This study examines the determinants of individuals' preferences for trade policies, using micro data of 10,000 individuals selected from Japan's general population. In particular, we focus on the role of regional factors that influence trade policy preferences, considering the fact that there is a significant difference in preferences among regions. The results of the binary choice model reveal that local characteristics affect people's views on trade policy even after controlling for labor market and non-economic attributes. Specifically, people residing in a region with a high share of agricultural workers are likely to support import restrictions even if they do not engage in agriculture, which is the most protected sector in Japan. Moreover, there is a strong correlation between the probability of supporting the protectionist trade policy and the share of local agricultural workers for people not considering migration, suggesting that inter-regional immobility of workers affects their trade policy preferences.