Template-type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0 Author-Name: Ryuta Ray Kato Author-Name-First: Ryuta Author-Name-Last: Kato Author-Email: kato@iuj.ac.jp Author-Workplace-Name: International University of Japan Author-Workplace-Homepage: http://www.iuj.ac.jp/ Author-Name: Hiroaki Miyamoto Author-Name-First: Hiroaki Author-Name-Last: Miyamoto Author-Email: hmiyamot@iuj.ac.jp Author-Workplace-Name: International University of Japan Author-Workplace-Homepage: http://www.iuj.ac.jp/ Title: Fiscal Stimulus and Labor Market Dynamics in Japan Abstract: The paper studies effects of fiscal expansion on the Japanese labor market. First, using a structural VAR model, we find that the unemployment rate falls and employment rises following an increase in government spending. We also find that fiscal expansion affects flows in and out of unemployment. While an increase in government spending increases the job-finding rate, it reduces the separation rate. We then incorporate search and matching frictions into a standard dynamic general equilibrium model, and study whether the model can explain what we observed in data. While the model fails to predict the exact size of the impact of the government spending shock on the Japanese labor market variables, it can consistently capture the empirical pattern of responses of labor market variables to the shock. Classification-JEL: E24; E62; J64 Length: 30 pages Creation-Date: 2012-11 Number: EMS_2012_19 File-URL: https://www.iuj.ac.jp/workingpapers/index.cfm?File=EMS_2012_19.pdf File-Format: Application/pdf File-Function: First version, 2012 File-Size: 465KB Keywords: Policy, Unemployment, Labor market, Search and matching Handle: RePEc:iuj:wpaper:EMS_2012_19