Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/92848 
Year of Publication: 
2006
Series/Report no.: 
ISER Discussion Paper No. 674
Publisher: 
Osaka University, Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER), Osaka
Abstract: 
In this paper, we analyze the determinants of the living arrangements of elderly parents and their children (whether elderly parents live with their children, and if so, with which child) in Japan using micro data from a household survey. We find that the proportion of elderly parents living with their eldest sons is much higher than that of elderly parents living with children other than the eldest son, even if the eldest son is not the eldest child. Moreover, we find that elderly parents are more likely to live with their eldest sons if the father was a self-employed worker before retirement, whereas they are more likely to live with a child other than the eldest son if the father was an executive before retirement. In addition, daughters whose husbands adopt the daughter's surname are more likely to live with the daughter's parents. All of these findings are consistent with the dynasty and/or strategic bequest (selfish life cycle) models. We also find that the living arrangements of elderly parents are still very much based on Japanese social norms and traditions. Thus, we find support for all models of household behavior other than the altruism model.
Subjects: 
Aged
Altruism Model
Bequest Motive
Bequests
Care of the Elderly
Children
Consumer Economics
Co-residence
Culture
Dynasty Model
Economics of the Elderly
Elderly
Eldest Son
Family Business
Family Economics
Family Line
Household Behavior
Japan
Life Cycle Model
Living Arrangements
Parents
Primogeniture
Residential Choice
Siblings
Social Norms
Strategic Bequest Model
Strategic Bequest Motive
Traditions
JEL: 
D12
D91
J14
Z13
Document Type: 
Working Paper

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