<論文>日本における男女間賃金格差の地域差に関する研究動向

Abstract

The status of women in Japan is said not to be high compared with other advanced countries. For example, in the GEM (gender empowerment measure) Japan places 57th out of 109 countries (2009). In particular, the wage differential between men and women in Japan is very large; women earn less than 70% of what men do. Moreover, the difference in the gender wage gap is very large by region. This means that there are even larger degrees of gender inequality in different regions. In order to overcome such regional differences and the gender wage gap, it is necessary to uncover the mechanism. In this paper, I review research trends about the regional differences in the gender wage gap in Japan. First, I review research on the factors in the gender wage gap. These factors are divided into two sides: human capital and the labor market. On one hand, the difference between male and female human capital can explain the wage gap. On the other hand, there is sexism on the part of the employer and statistical discrimination as a factor of the demand side of the labor market, and, as a factor on the supply side, more women tend to be employed in low-wage work than men due to gender norms. Second, I review research on the regional differences in the gender wage gap. There is a lot of research of the regional differences in women's employment, however, there is little research which dealt directly with the regional difference in the gender wage gap. In order to explain the regional differences in the gender wage gap, I try to review research on various factors in the gender wage gap as well as regional differences in human capital and the labor market. That is because it is thought that the regional differences in male and female human capital and regional features of the labor market have produced the wage gap. The mechanism of the gender wage gap cannot be explained just from oneviewpoint.