Overview of the Japan Household Panel Survey 2012 (English tanslation of DP-2012-006)
The Keio University Joint Research Center for Panel Studies started the Japan
Household Panel Survey (JHPS) in 2009. The most recent survey was implemented in
2012 (the JHPS 2012, fourth wave). The JHPS 2012 included 2,821 subjects, with an
89.3% retention rate from the third wave. This article provides an overview of sample
characteristics of the fourth wave and reports some basic results of selected issues of
special interest in this wave.
First, a probit analysis for panel continuation revealed that the parallel use with
interview method caused the probability of response continuation to decrease in the
second wave. However, this did not have any effect subsequent to the third wave, and it
was determined that more visits by surveyors during previous fielding caused the rate
of response continuation to decrease. Second, we report the characteristics of
intergenerational financial assistance, from parents to their children and vice versa,
using an array of variables, such as education, co-residence with parents, and
employment status. Third, we report distributions of a sense of happiness as well as its
relationship with employment, income, and health. Finally, basic statistics of the
reasoning test included as an indicator of cognitive ability are presented, and spousal
correlation, age differences, and relationship with education and income from work are
described.
