Project leader Prof. Hidehiko Ichimura visited University of Malaya in the second week of September to convey some of the results and experiences our project has obtained in the field of econometrics and survey design and implementation.
On September 6, as part of a workshop on statistics, Prof. Ichimura made a presentation on novel solutions for some of the methodological issues regarding semiparametric estimators for an audience consisting of local econometricians at the University of Malaya Faculty of Economics and Administration in Kuala Lumpur.
Furthermore, on the following day he presented on economic and social problems caused by population aging in Japan and other developed countries, the composition and development of the Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement (JSTAR), as well as on the recent research results obtained by our project members utilizing JSTAR data, while pointing out the usefulness of such type of a survey in terms of understanding population heterogeneity and assessing policy effects. Recent studies conducted by researchers involved in our project using JSTAR data address issues such as the work capacity and labor force participation of the Japanese elderly, their diet and health, the influence of the wealth and bequests of the elderly on the pay-as-you-go pension system, etc. These studies offer a useful feedback to policy makers working on countering the effects of population aging, such as labor force shortage and rising public pension and health expenditure.
During his stay in Kuala Lumpur Prof. Ichimura also analyzed the content of the Malaysian Aging and Retirement Survey (MARS) questionnaire and offered suggestions for its improvement, based on his experience with the design and implementation of JSTAR.
Prof. Ichimura was accompanied by our Project Professor Naohiro Ogawa, who is also Holder of the Old Age Financial Protection Chair at the University of Malaya Social Security Research Centre.
Our Prof. Ichimura and Prof. Ogawa celebrating the birthday of Prof. Datuk Norma Mansor, Director of the Malaya University Social Security Research Centre, together with the local researchers and students