Institutional barriers to work beyond retirement in an aging Japan: Evidence from a recent employee survey
Level 4 - case-series / case-control
Level 4 by design analogy (cross-sectional survey analysis).
OpenAlex W2075138210 · doi:10.1515/cj.2011.009
What was done
Authors analyzed data from the 2007 "Survey on continued employment and occupational life after age 60" conducted by the Japan Institute for Labour Policy and Training (JILPT). Using multinomial logit analysis on a nationally representative sample of 1,400 male regular employees aged 57 to 59, the study examined how mandatory retirement rules, post-retirement wage cuts, and social security arrangements affect anticipated labor market behaviors.
What was found
The abstract reports directional findings from the logit model without specific numerical coefficients or odds ratios: - Older workers decline post-retirement re-employment if prospective wages fall below their minimum acceptable threshold. - Those who turn down re-employment tend to search for alternative jobs independently rather than retiring completely. - Beyond wage levels, prospective total income (including in-work social security benefits) and flexible work arrangements significantly affect future employment decisions.
Why it matters
This study shows that post-retirement wage reductions serve as a primary institutional barrier to labor retention in aging societies, and that older workers prefer seeking alternative employment over exiting the workforce entirely when re-employment terms are unfavorable.
Limits
The sample is restricted to male regular employees aged 57 to 59, excluding female workers and non-regular workers. The cross-sectional design captures stated intentions and anticipated choices rather than observed post-retirement labor market outcomes. No effect sizes, test statistics, or confidence intervals are reported in the abstract.
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