Research

Abstract: When societies transition from hereditary to meritocratic systems, does the democratization of education foster social mobility? We investigate this question in Japan after the Meiji Restoration (1868), which abolished the samurai's hereditary privileges in public sector positions. Using cohort-specific discontinuities in access to newly established secondary schools, we examine how expanded educational opportunities influenced the likelihood of attaining leadership roles in the public and private sectors for samurai and commoners. We find that secondary education increased the number of elites from both social groups, yet most new elites pursued occupations historically associated with their families. However, within both social groups, the new elites entirely came from non-elite fathers, suggesting that secondary education fostered upward mobility.

Abstract: Clark and Ishi (2012) and Clark (2014) show that elite persistence within one generation (30 years) has a similar rate across different countries and family backgrounds. However, they do not explore potential differences in elite persistence between close family members and extended relatives. To address this gap, we construct a unique dataset of father-son pairs among the top 0.1% of socially distinguished individuals, such as CEOs and high-ranking civil servants. Our findings indicate that elite persistence is similar across social classes and occupations (0.40–0.51), even when focusing only on direct father-son relationships.

Abstract: Why can elite families often maintain their social and economic status over multiple generations? We show that adoption can contribute to the persistence of elite status by utilizing a unique historical framework of prewar Japan. However, the preference for adoptive heirs may lead to selection bias in the process of choosing heirs, potentially biasing OLS results negatively. To address this selection bias, we use the gender of the firstborn child as an instrument for the adoption decision. We find that having an adoptive heir increases the probability of maintaining elite status in the son's generation by 20.6% compared to having a biological heir. Furthermore, we show that this result is driven by matching high-quality adopted sons with fathers who were highly successful in their early lives.

Abstract: This paper introduces a newly constructed individual-level dataset of prewar Japanese elites using the “Who’s Who” directories published in 1903–1939. Covering approximately the top 0.1% of the population, the dataset contains rich information on social origin, education, occupation, and family structure. By reconstructing intergenerational links and family networks, we provide descriptive evidence on elite formation and persistence across geography, social groups, and education during institutional transitions. The dataset provides a foundational empirical resource for studying elite reproduction, intergenerational and intergroup mobility, and institutional development during Japan’s transition to a modern society.

Abstract: In the aftermath of World War II, a large-scale management program, sponsored by the United States and known as the Productivity Program, was implemented in several European countries and Japan. The program involved sending corporate executives to observe business practices at U.S. firms and aimed to share modern management practices and enhance productivity in the recipient countries. In this paper, we first summarize the similarities and differences in how the program was implemented in Japan and European countries based on historical documents. Next, using data on Japanese firms that participated in the program, combined with a database of stock-listed firms, we document the characteristics of participating firms and compare them to other stock-listed firms during the same period. We also provide a simple comparison of firm performance over the first two decades of the program between participating firms and non-participating firms with similar initial characteristics. 

『戦前期日本におけるトップエリートの世代間流動性に関する考察 』三菱経済研究所, 2024年9月(not peer reviewed)

11/8-9 paper[3]@East Asian Economic Association conference at Manila

2025

8/18-22 Paper[1]@World Congress of Econometric Society in Korea

8/7 Paper[5]@Applied Microeconomics Seminar at Kyoto U

7/3-4 Paper[1]@Asian Economic Development Conference at Peking U

4/17 Paper[1]@ Research Workshop at Musashi U

3/21 Paper[6]@経済発展研究会 at Hitotsubashi U

2024

Paper[1]@JADE annual conference at JETRO

Paper[2]@Labor Economics Conference at UT

Paper [1]@Economic Workshop at Shiga U

Paper [1] and [3]@Economic History Workshop at UT

Paper [3]@AASLE at Chulalongkorn U (Thailand)

Paper[1]@BREAD Asia Conference at National University of Singapore (cancelled due to stomach flu, Yasuyuki Sawada presented instead of me.)

2023

Paper[1]@Applied Econometic conference ata Osaka U

Paper[3]@JADE Young conference at Kyoto U

[6] Reconstructing the Elites? Intergenerational Transmission of Elite Status through WWII with Hiroshi Kumanomido