Working Paper: NBER ID: w31472
Authors: Kazuya Masuda; Hitoshi Shigeoka
Abstract: We examine the mortality effects of a 1947 school reform in Japan, which extended compulsory schooling from primary to secondary school by as much as 3 years. The abolition of secondary school fees also indicates that those affected by the reform likely came from disadvantaged families who could have benefited the most from schooling. Even in this relatively favorable setting, we fail to find that the reform improved later-life mortality up to the age of 87 years, although it significantly increased years of schooling. This finding suggests limited health returns to schooling at the lower level of educational attainment.
Keywords: No keywords provided
JEL Codes: H52; I12; I21; I28
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| 1947 school reform (I28) | years of schooling (I21) |
| 1947 school reform (I28) | mortality rates (I12) |
| years of schooling (I21) | mortality rates (I12) |
| 1947 school reform (I28) | healthcare utilization rates (I11) |
| 1947 school reform (I28) | specific causes of mortality (I12) |