[Extract] Many studies have appeared, in both English and Chinese, focusing on income distribution in rural China1. They point to a worsening trend since the late 1970s when China initiated economic reforms. Such a trend has serious implications for China's ability to maintain sustainable growth...

This paper examines recent trends and determinants of happiness inequality in Japan using unique data from the “Preference Parameters Study of Osaka University” that was conducted annually in Japan during the 2003-2013 period. The data illustrate that, despite some fluctuations, Japan...

This paper examines the impact of providing informal care to elderly parents on caregivers' subjective well-being using unique data from the "Preference Parameters Study" of Osaka University, a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan. The estimation results indicate heterogeneous...

This paper conducts an empirical analysis of the distributional effects of the determinants of happiness by applying quantile regression techniques to panel data from the “Preference Parameters Study” of Osaka University, a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan. The key...

This paper examines the impact of providing informal care to elderly parents on caregivers’ subjective well-being using unique data from the “Preference Parameters Study” of Osaka University, a nationally representative survey conducted in Japan. The estimation results indicate...

This paper examines the behavioral response of households to wealth transfer taxation using household survey data from Japan. The data reveal that relatively few households plan to reallocate the newly taxable amount of wealth to their own consumption or inter vivos transfers in response to the...

This paper synthesizes factors that could contribute to the failure of basic service delivery to the poor. It also highlights successful projects and good practices from developing Asian countries which may help promote inclusiveness in providing basic social services in developing countries....

The global economic recession is severely affecting Asian economies. Timely assessment of the economic and social impacts is critical to the formulation and implementation of policy responses. This paper presents a simple methodology of ex ante impact assessment, focusing specifically on how the...