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Robert J. Shiller
For Robert J. Shiller's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
COMMENTARY / World
Feb 22, 2007
Truth and consequences of inequality
NEW HAVEN, Conn. -- Leaders around the world seem to be convinced that inequality and lack of broad participation in economic growth, if allowed to persist, will lead to social discord and even violence. But is inequality the real problem?
COMMENTARY / World
Jan 19, 2007
Laying a retirement lifeline for the poor
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- Most people believe that the world of finance has no concern for the little guy -- for all the low- and middle-income people who, after all, contribute little to the bottom line.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 24, 2006
The rising wealth of nations
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- The new Penn World Table, Version 6.2, comparing standards of living across countries, has just been released. The latest figures are for 2004, and, because of data lags, not all countries are included. Yet these numbers are valuable because they are of exceptional quality and they correct systematically for relative price differences across countries, which sometimes leads to surprising results.
COMMENTARY / World
May 23, 2006
Guard against obsolescence
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- As a college professor, I hear a lot of career concerns. As my students prepare to enter working lives that will last 50 years or more, practically all of them try to be futurists in choosing the skills in which to invest. If they pick an occupation that declines in the next half-century, they may deeply regret it.
COMMENTARY / World
Mar 27, 2006
Building a better safety net for workers
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- A lot of public attention and worry nowadays surrounds the new risks that globalization and information technology create for our wages and livelihoods. But there has been far less constructive discussion of new ideas about how to confront these risks. In fact, we might be losing the momentum we had a few years ago to implement some of these ideas.
COMMENTARY / World
May 2, 2005
Longevity bonds can help retirees prosper
NEW HAVEN, Connecticut -- Living a long time is one of our deepest wishes, and medical and economic progress offers the hope that it will be fulfilled. Some scientists say that the average human life span could reach 90 years or more by midcentury. But what if our wish is granted? What good is a longer life if we cannot maintain our standard of living?

Longform

Things may look perfect to the outside world, but today's mom is fine with some imperfection at home.
How 'Reiwa moms' are reshaping motherhood in Japan