論文

本稿ではインターネット調査に基づき,主観的最低生活費の検討を行った。その目的は三つある。第一は一般市民が想定する最低生活費を計測することである。第二は主観的最低生活費が,尋ね方によりどれほど幅のある概念なのか,ということを確認することである。第三は生活保護制度と比較し,計測された主観的最低生活費がどのような特徴を持っているか把握することである。その結果,生活保護基準額は,単身世帯を除きK調査(切り詰めるだけ切り詰めて最低限いくら必要か質問)とT調査(つつましいながらも人前で恥ずかしくない社会生活をおくるためにいくら必要か質問)の主観的最低生活費(中央値)の間に位置すること,単身世帯では生活保護基準はT・K両調査を下回る水準となっていること,世帯所得が1%上昇しても主観的最低生活費は0.2%しか上昇しないこと,主観的最低生活費の等価尺度は小さい(=世帯に働く規模の経済性を大きく見積もる)こと,等を明らかにした。

The Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2006) analysis confirms a negative relationship across countries between the steepness of the age-wage profile and older workers' labor participation. However, Japan is exceptional in that it has a steep age-wage profile and, yet, its older workers' still have high labor force participation. This study examines why that is so. In Japan, mandatory retirement rules are prevalent but employers have discretion in substantially reducing the wages for postretirement-age workers. Among various findings, this study first confirms the presence of a negative relationship between steepness of the age-wage profile and the employment of older workers in Japan. The study also finds a negative relationship between unionization and employment rates among older workers, and between the extension of mandatory retirement ages and the employment of older workers.

In Japan, households receiving welfare benefits are not required to pay for medical services that fall within the scope of their assistance programme. The payment obligations for other low-income households may also be limited because the public health insurance system provides services in-kind. It has been argued, therefore, that these features may contribute to an increase in the nation’s healthcare expenditure. However, no strong evidence has been presented so far to support this argument. 　This study conducted a conjoint analysis based on an online questionnaire survey of households on welfare and other low-income households in general to examine how their use of medical services may be affected if they are required to make co-payments, if their co-payments rise, or if a reimbursement system is adopted. The survey participants are 2,600 people, 458 of whom are from households on welfare (as representatives of all households nationwide that are receiving welfare assistance), 1,542 from other low-income households, and 600 from middleincome households (with annual income between 6 and 12 million yen). 　The analysis has shown that, in general, an increase in co-payments would discourage people from seeking medical care. However, this relationship was not observed among middle-income households in the case of treatment of children’s cavities. 　Under a system in which patients first pay all the medical expenses in advance and later receive reimbursements, households on welfare and other low-income households in general would be less likely than middle-income households to seek medical care. Such a system would discourage welfare recipients and low-income people from seeking treatment for various medical conditions that they themselves may have and for two specific types of conditions that their children may experience, namely, rough skin and vomiting. However, it would not discourage them from seeking treatment for children’s high fevers or cavities, except in the case of cavities in children of low-income parents.