Relation between relative income and marriage in Japan

This study investigates the relationship of relative income on males' marital behavior using individual data taken from the Japanese Employment Status Survey. The data show that relatively low-income males among each reference group are more likely to marry when their income approaches the 50th percentile in his reference group's income distribution. However, if males' earnings are above the 50th percentile around, the influence of an increase in income becomes very small. The findings show that the mean income of a regular-employment worker within his own reference group is an important predictor of marital status, particularly for Japanese males in the bottom of national income distribution.