Regional variations in labor force behavior of women in Japan

This study uses cross-sectional data to investigate the regional differences in women's participation in the labor market. Women's participation is high in the northern coastal region of Japan. Their high rate of participation is caused by the fact that married women with children participate as regular full-time eployees. A possible explanation for the high participation in the northern coastal region is a combination of (1) a high degree of manufacturing in the northern coastal region and (2) supply side factors that motivate women to work.