Researcher Profile and Settings

Master

Affiliation (Master)

• Faculty of Economics and Business　Division of Modern Economics and Management　Economic Analysis

Affiliation (Master)

• Faculty of Economics and Business　Division of Modern Economics and Management　Economic Analysis

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Profile and Settings

Degree

• Ph.D.（Oregon State University）

Profile and Settings

• Name (Japanese)

  Saito

• Name (Kana)

  Hisamitsu

• Name

  E-5761-2014, 201401048387055372

Alternate Names

http://kaken.nii.ac.jp/d/r/30540984.ja.html

Achievement

Research Areas

• Humanities & social sciences / Economic policy
• Humanities & social sciences / Agricultural and food economics

Research Experience

• 2022/04 - Today Hokkaido University Faculty of Economics and Business Professor
• 2014/04 - 2022/03 Hokkaido University Faculty of Economics and Business Associate Professor
• 2010/12 - 2014/03 Kyushu University Faculty of Agriculture Assistant Professor
• 2008/11 - 2010/11 Obihiro University of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine Research Associate

Education

• 2003/09 - 2008/03  Oregon State University  Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics
• 2000/04 - 2003/03  Hokkaido University  Graduate School of Agriculture
• 2001/08 - 2002/07  National Autonomous University of Mexico
• 1996/04 - 2000/03  Hokkaido University  School of Agriculture

Committee Memberships

• 2020/04 - Today   Agricultural Economics Society of Hokkaido   Editor
• 2022/04 -2024/03   Agricultural Economics Society of Japan   Editor

Awards

• 2023/03 Agricultural Economics Society of Japan Best Article Award
   

  受賞者: Yoko Saito;Hideo Aizaki;Hisamitsu Saito
• 2010/09 Agricultural Economics Society of Hokkaido Young Scientist Award
   

  受賞者: Hisamitsu Saito
• 2005/03 Oregon State University DeLoach Distinguished Graduate Fellowship
   

  受賞者: Hisamitsu Saito

Published Papers

• Does offshoring raise female employment in a developing country? Evidence from Indonesian manufacturing plants

  Hyejoon Im, Hisamitsu Saito

  World Economy 2024 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  We investigate the effects of offshoring on female employment in a developing country as a recipient. We utilise unique data on outsourcing revenues from Indonesia's manufacturing plants. After correcting for offshoring's endogeneity through an instrument variable, we find substantial positive effects on the share of female workers, primarily driven by the increase in female workers without adversely affecting male employment. These positive effects are evident in production occupations but not in non-production ones. Furthermore, these effects are more pronounced in industries with a sizeable low-educated workforce, low-technology sectors or light industries. Finally, we find that international outsourcing, rather than domestic outsourcing, is the key factor for female employment.
• Foreign Direct Investment and Labor Demand by Skill in Indonesian Manufacturing Firms

  Toshiyuki Matsuura, Hisamitsu Saito

  Review of World Economics 159 921 - 941 2023/11 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  A recent debate on globalization addresses the importance of skills for firms’ performance in developing countries. Employing microdata from Indonesian manufacturing, we examine the externality effects of inward foreign direct investment (FDI) on labor demand by skill in local firms and identify the relative contribution of each effect to their skill structure. The results show that local firms replace unskilled workers with skilled ones to enable transactions with foreign firms in downstream industries. However, severe labor market competition for skilled workers with foreign firms hinders them from upgrading the skill structure. Moreover, severe product market competition decreases demand for unskilled workers in local firms. Thus, an adequate supply of skilled workers is crucial for the better performance of local firms. The results also highlight the necessity of policies to mitigate the negative impact of inward FDI on unskilled employment in the host economy.
• Assessing the Consumer Acceptability of Vaccine Rice

  Yoko Saito, Hideo Aizaki, Hisamitsu Saito

  Japanese Journal of Agricultural Economics 24 1 - 13 2022/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  A feature of much recent medical research has been to offer a range of treatment choices for a given condition. It is important therefore to understand patient preferences among the non-medical as well as medical features of these options. An instructive example is a variety of rice currently under development with recombinant DNA technology as an alternative to the vaccine injection conventionally used against cedar pollen allergy as immunotherapy treatment. We use a survey-based discrete choice experiment to examine and decompose the attitudes to this medical food, along with their likely net effects on final demand. Restricting the survey to allergy sufferers allows focus on the rice’s maximum perceived welfare benefits, in contrast to the ambiguous conclusions of previous studies. Patient characteristics, such as allergy severity, GM technology familiarity, and opportunity costs of hospital visits necessary for the injection treatment strongly influence the vaccine rice’s appeal. A successful marketing program for the new rice will require appealing to these direct benefits.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and domestic travel subsidies

  Toshiyuki Matsuura, Hisamitsu Saito

  Annals of Tourism Research 92 103326  0160-7383 2022/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  The spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has significantly reduced tourism demands worldwide. Employing weekly data on tourist flows between Japanese prefectures, we examine the cost-effectiveness of domestic travel subsidies. Our results provide two implications for the literature. First, we identify the underlying mechanism of tourist flows during the pandemic. In contrast to infectious diseases that have only local effects, the COVID-19 pandemic has decreased tourism demand not only to, but also from, severely affected regions, deteriorating tourism businesses even in areas not severely affected by the disease. Second, we confirm the effectiveness of a price-discount strategy in mitigating economic damage to the accommodation sector caused by the pandemic.
• Consumer Evaluation of Genome-edited Food Products: A Case of Fully Farmed Tuna

  Daiki Watanabe, Yoko Saito, Hisamitsu Saito, Koichiro Gen, Tetsuji Masaok, Ryo Ohsawa

  Agricultural Information Research 30 (2) 24 - 34 2021/07 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  The resource management of bluefin tuna includes the development of full farming technology and varieties of tuna suitable for farming through the use of genome-editing techniques. This study employed a choice experiment to examine consumers’ evaluation of genome-edited and fully farmed tuna in Japan. The results revealed a negative attitude toward the use of genome-editing technology, implying that the extent to which the use of technology can reduce the price of tuna is key for diffusion. Because the majority of respondents were still unfamiliar with the technology, improving their understanding of the technology, explaining its effectiveness in the resource management of tuna, and increasing consumers’ interest in ethical consumption are key to improving consumers’ evaluations of genome-edited and fully farmed tuna.
• Seasonality and regional productivity in the Spanish accommodation sector

  Hisamitsu Saito, João Romão

  Tourism Management 69 180 - 188 0261-5177 2018/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  This study quantifies the impact of peak demand and seasonality on regional productivity in the Spanish accommodation sector. We then identify factors affecting seasonal fluctuations and their relative contributions to regional variations in seasonality. The results show that demand for accommodation in the peak season mainly determines productivity. Thus, improving a region's attractiveness as a tourist destination is most effective for tourism-based regional development. In addition, reducing seasonal variations has a non-negligible impact on productivity. A decomposition analysis reveals that providing climate-independent tourist attractions and attracting business travelers are effective in reducing seasonality.
• Measuring Japan’s technical barriers to trade based on the China’s fruit exports to Japan

  Qianhui Gao, Shoichi Ito, Hisamitsu Saito

  Agricultural Economics – Czech 64 (3) 141 - 147 1805-9295 2018 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  The study analyses the influence of technical barriers to agricultural trade carried out by Japan on China’s fruit exports. In order to measure the tariff equivalents of technical barriers, the price wedge method is utilized. Based on the utility function specified in the study, the constructed model is adopted to evaluate the elasticity of substitution between the imported fruits and Japanese domestic fruits, and the consumers’ preference parameters for different kinds of fruits. Sample data are chosen from the beginning of 2002 to the end of 2015. Based on the estimated preference parameters and elasticity of substitution, the results show that Japanese consumers prefer domestic fruits to the imported fruits. Besides, the results reveal that although the substitution and preference parameters are higher for the improved quality of imported fruits in the context of the positive list system, the scales of tariff equivalents of technical barriers are larger than the regular custom tariffs, and the technical barriers would cause extra huge costs for the imported fruits. Especially, in the three consecutive years after the implementation of the positive list system, tariff equivalents of technical barriers almost reached 150%, and then gradually decreased in the following years.
• Consumer Evaluation of Agricultural Products Developed Using New Breeding Technology

  Yoko Saito, Daiki Watanabe, Hisamitsu Saito

  Agricultural Information Research 26 115 - 125 2017/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Efficient breeding of new plant cultivars is necessary to maintain regional agricultural production under global warming. New Breeding Technology (NBT) has been developed to improve the accuracy and efficiency of plant breeding. To assess the likelihood of diffusion of NBT, we examined consumers’ attitudes toward apples developed using flowering promotion technology. Consumers’ preference is considered to be different from that of the conventional genetically modified crops because the genetic recombinant flowering technology is used only during breeding process, and the resultant fruits do not contain foreign genes. The results of a double-bounded, dichotomous choice, contingent valuation method (CVM) indicated that consumers who did not perceive a difference from regular apples tend to have a willingness to pay for those developed using the flowering promotion technology. Explaining the necessity and importance of this technology under climate change conditions is also effective at enhancing the likelihood of diffusion.
• A Spatial Analysis on the Determinants of Tourism Performance in Japanese Prefectures

  João Romão, Hisamitsu Saito

  Asia-Pacific Journal of Regional Science 1 243 - 264 2017/04 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Assuming tourism as a place-oriented activity where tourist flows often cross regional borders, local and global indicators of spatial autocorrelation can be useful tools in order to identify and to explain different patterns of regional tourism dynamics and their determinants. These techniques recently became widely used in applied economic studies, as a result of their useful insights to understand spatial phenomena and benefiting from the existence of geo-referenced data and adequate software tools. This tendency is also observed in the tourism sector in the last few years. In this work, an exploratory spatial analysis and a spatial econometric model are applied to the case of Japanese Prefectures, leading to the identification of the specific spatial aspects prevailing in Japanese regional tourism dynamics. Spatial heterogeneity and agglomeration processes are identified, with a view on policy and managerial recommendations, offering a contribution to explore potential synergies arising from inter-regional cooperation in crucial aspects of tourism development. The results reveal the existence of such spatial effects, reflecting the importance for tourism of central areas of Japan, while revealing that competition effects among Japanese Prefectures prevail over positive regional spinoffs identified in other countries. It was also possible to observe that regions where tourism plays a more prominent role in terms of its importance within regional employment do not present a relatively high performance in terms of economic impact and benefits. The results suggest that a more balanced regional economic structure and higher levels of education of the work force contribute for improvements in tourism value added. Finally, the important role of foreign tourism boosting regional tourism performance is revealed.
• Evaluating Welfare Effects of Rice Import Quota in Japan: Based on Measuring Non-Tariff Barriers of SBS Rice Imports

  Gao, Qianhui, Shoichi Ito, Kolawole Ogundari, Hisamitsu Saito

  Sustainability 8 (817) 1 - 13 2016/08 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  The principal objective of this study is to analyze welfare effects of Japan’s rice import quota focusing on the simultaneous buy and sell (SBS) of the rice importation minimum access (MA) policy. Based on the utility function specified in this study, the constructed model is adopted to measure consumption patterns through estimating elasticity of substitution between imported rice and Japan’s domestic rice, and consumers’ preference parameters for different kinds of rice. The results showed that Japanese households prefer domestic rice to the imported rice. Besides, three scenarios of adjusting rice quota volumes were carried out to examine the changes in consumer prices of imported rice and Japanese consumers’ welfares. The results revealed that tariff equivalents of the SBS import quota almost doubled the scale of the mark-up, and the intervention by the Ministry of Agriculture of Japan did cause non-tariff barriers to trade (NTBs). Finally, if the SBS rice quota quantity was fixed at or larger than 180 thousand tons every fiscal year, the consumer prices of imported rice in Japan’s market would decrease to be less than the prices of Japan’s domestic rice, and therefore the imported rice would have more price advantages in this scenario.
• AGGLOMERATION, CONGESTION, AND US REGIONAL DISPARITIES IN EMPLOYMENT GROWTH

  Hisamitsu Saito, JunJie Wu

  JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE 56 (1) 53 - 71 0022-4146 2016/01 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Wide regional disparities exist in U.S. employment growth. To identify the causes of this disparities, we assess the relative contribution of locational characteristics to regional employment growth in the United States from 2001 to 2010 by estimating an employment growth model with the spatial-lag effect. Results show that, at the margin, congestion effects dominate localized scale externalities in urban counties. A diverse industrial structure and rich human capital are the main factors that contribute to regional disparities in employment growth. Significant spatial-lag effects indicate that spatial targeting and regional coordination are necessary to maximize the effectiveness of employment growth policies.
• FIRM HETEROGENEITY, MULTIPLANT CHOICE, AND AGGLOMERATION

  Hisamitsu Saito

  JOURNAL OF REGIONAL SCIENCE 55 (4) 540 - 559 0022-4146 2015/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  We examine the organization and location choice of heterogeneous firms in a two-region economy. When some high-productivity firms engage in multiplant production, a reduction in transport costs causes two changes in a small region: the closure of plants by high-productivity multiplant firms and the relocation of low-productivity single-plant firms to the region. In the presence of high-productivity multiplant firms, therefore, a decline in transport costs reinforces the spatial sorting of firms by productivity, enlarging the productivity gap between large and small regions. Conversely, reducing investment costs weakens the spatial sorting effects on regional productivity disparities.
• Study on the Contemporary Relationship between International and Domestic Grain Prices in Developing Countries: Focusing on Long Run and Short Run

  Shuqin Yan, Kolawole Ogundari, Zhengwei Cao, Hiroshi Isoda, Shoichi Ito, Hisamitsu Saito

  Japanese Journal of Rural Economics 17 64 - 69 2187-946X 2015/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  This study attempts to analyze long-run and short-run relationships between domestic and international grain prices; and judge whether there was a significant causality relationship between them. The results indicate that international grain prices have a positive effect on the domestic prices, and international prices increased the domestic prices during and after the 2007-2008 grain price-crisis. For causality, in short-run term, for rice in Nicaragua and Tunisia, for wheat in Georgia, Pakistan and Armenia, international prices significantly affected domestic prices; in the long-run, for rice in Dominican, Nicaragua and Tunisia, for wheat in Armenia, Georgia, Mauritania and Pakistan, and for maize in Chad, Guatemala and Nicaragua, domestic prices may be influenced by international prices.
• Balancing Skilled with Unskilled Migration in an Urbanizing Agricultural Economy

  Nguyen, Thinh, Hisamitsu Saito, Hiroshi Isoda, Shoichi Ito

  World Development 66 457 - 467 2015/02 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  In the early stages of economic development, the migration of unskilled workers contributes to labor-intensive manufacturing production. In middle-income countries, however, the migration of skilled workers becomes the more important factor in economic progress. Evaluating the skill content of migration patterns therefore is essential to understanding migration’s economic implications. For this purpose, we investigate the determinants of skilled and unskilled migration decisions in Vietnam. Rural higher education is shown to promote knowledge-intensive production by encouraging skilled individuals to migrate to cities. In complementary fashion, commercial farm development helps alleviate urban overcrowding by encouraging unskilled individuals to remain at home.
• A Study on Price Fluctuation in Chinese Grain Markets: Based on ARCH-type Models

  Zhengwei Cao, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Agricultural Marketing Journal of Japan 22 69 - 76 2014/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  本研究では中国の穀物価格における週単位の変動について、ARCHモデルによる分析を行った。その際、分析期間を政策や世界の経済情勢をもとに5つに細分化することで、経済政策・情勢が価格変動に果たす効果について、詳細に把握するよう努めた。分析の結果、中国がWTOに加盟する以前は、トウモロコシと大豆についてARCH効果が確認された。一方、WTO加盟直後には大豆、小麦及びインディカ米についてARCH効果を確認し、大豆の価格がハイリスク・ハイリターンであることが明らかとなった。その後、2004年に、政府が農民の収入を増やす一連の政策を打ち出したことで、小麦と米についてARCH効果が顕著に表れた。さらに米価が国際的に高騰した2007年から2008年にかけて、大豆、トウモロコシ、インディカ米においてARCH効果が確認された。それ以後は、トウモロコシとインディカ米でARCH効果がみられ、特にトウモロコシではハイリスク・ハイリターンの特徴が顕著に表れていた。
• Impacts of Pork Production on Corn Demand for Feed in China

  Jinfeng Xu, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito, Yoko Saito

  Science bulletin of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University 69 (1) 39 - 45 1347-0159 2014/02 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  Previous studies such as Koizumi (2007), Ohga et al. (2009) and MAFF Policy Res. Inst. (2010) appear not to have enough data base to incorporate the exact amount of corn fed to pork. Accordingly, they may have under-estimated their demand elasticity for corn to feed. In this research, concentrating on large scale pork producing farms which mainly use corn for feeding, a large demand elasticity for corn at 0.904 was found with a 1% significance level. This may explain more realistic situation that has been going on in Chinese pork industry. Price elasticity for corn relative to wheat was also estimated at -0.360 with a 10% significance level for the large scale pork production indicating that price ratio between corn and wheat is critical.
• High Meat Price and Increasing Grain Consumption in China

  Jiarong Qian, Shoichi Ito, Yueying Mu, Hisamitsu Saito, Hiroshi Isoda

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 51 67 - 72 2013/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• A Study on the Impacts of Japan’s Positive List System on China’s Vegetable Exports

  Qianhui Gao, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 51 61 - 66 2013/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• The Impact of Ethanol Production on the Feed Use of Corn in China

  Jinfeng Xu, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito, Qianhui Gao, Yoko Saito

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 51 73 - 78 2013/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Grain Price Transmission from International Markets to Chinese Domestic Markets

  Zhengwei Cao, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Journal of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kyushu University 58 (2) 499 - 507 0023-6152 2013/09 [Not refereed][Not invited]
   

  After joining WTO, Chinese agricultural commodities linked more and more with the international markets. This study evaluated the grain price translation from the international grain markets to Chinese grain markets. The result of ADF test for grain prices in China and the US, which reports that all of the weekly grain prices in these two markets belong to I (1) and a long–run integration between the Chinese grain prices and the US grain prices are found in this study. We use the VECM model to find that the estimated error correction term coefficients are –0.04749, –0.002187, –0.0009480, –0.005806 and –0.004652 for soybeans, wheat, corn, indica rice and japonica rice, respectively. In addition, the volatility for the US' soybeans prices can Granger–cause the Chinese soybeans prices fluctuated. And the impulse response function Chinese grain prices response immediately to its own standard deviation innovation and the impact from the international markets is more significant for soybeans. The US's soybeans and corn prices show significant effect to its own innovation.
• Motivations for Local Food Demand by Japanese Consumers: A Conjoint Analysis with Reference-Point Effects

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Yoko Saito

  Agribusiness: An International Journal 29 147 - 161 2013/03 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Consumers often favor locally over nonlocally produced foods in the belief they have higher quality and provide the quasipublic service of conserving local agriculture. The aim of the present study is to clarify these two motivations’ relative contributions to product demand by considering consumer reference points, that is preferences for remaining at present consumption and price levels. A stated-preference method is applied to the Japanese demand for bread from local wheat. We find that Japanese consumers pay a significant premium for local wheat bread and that more than half the observed demand variation is explained by a product's quasipublic nature. In contrast, reference-point effects suggest that those who frequently buy local food have a negative willingness-to-pay for imported or nonlocal-domestic breads. Appealing to local food-buyers’ preferences for a local source and for environmental quality thus appears to be the most effective way of promoting local wheat bread.
• A Study on Dynamic Impacts of Chinese Exchange Rate on China's Vegetable Exports: A Case of Vegetable Exports to Japan

  Qianhui Gao, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Journal of Rural Economics Special Issue 345 - 351 1342-4408 2012/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  This study examines if exchange rate changes of the yuan have a significant relationship with vegetable exports to Japan. Moreover, it examines if exchange rate and its volatility have different impacts on the export volume. For this purpose, the study employs a vector autoregressive (CAR) model and analyses the impulse responses of vegetable exports to exchange rate and its uncertainty. In general, the study finds that the exchange rate has a statistically significant effect on trade volume, i.e., appreciation of the yuan against the yen reduces vegetable exports from China to Japan. However, vegetable traders respond to the exchange rate movement with time lags. It needs a relatively long time for them to respond to a change in exchange rate. For the exchange rate volatility, the study finds a negative effect, implying most traders are risk-averse and the uncertainty in exchange rate reduces their willingness to trade.
• Study on Grain Direct Subsidies in China: A Case Study Based on Attitudes of Farmers

  Ning-Ning Sun, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito, Andreas Neef, Bao-Hui Liang

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 50 (2) 106 - 111 0388-8541 2012/09 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Yield Response to Price and High-Quality Seed Subsidy Policies in China

  Jiarong Qian, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 50 (1) 118 - 123 0388-8541 2012/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Effect of Formula Fertilization Technology Subsidy Policy on Rice Production in China: A Case of Xinyang City

  Jiarong Qian, Shoichi Ito, Yueying Mu, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Journal of Rural Problems 48 (1) 31 - 34 0388-8525 2012/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  中国では化学肥料や農薬の過度な使用が環境へ及ぼす効果が問題視され，肥料投入を適切に管理する配合施肥技術が注目されている．しかし，高額な費用がその普及の妨げとなっていることから，中国政府は普及を目的とした補助事業を2005年に開始した．そこで本論文ではDEAを援用し，補助事業が中国の稲作生産の効率性に与える影響の定量的な評価を行った．分析の結果，全ての分析対象地において生産効率が格段に向上しており，また生産要素の使用が効率化されていることから補助事業の有効性が確認された．
• Evaluation of Grain Price Stabilization Policies in China: How Did China Control the Domestic Grain Prices in 2008?

  Zhengwei Cao, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Japanese Journal of Farm Management 50 (1) 124 - 129 0388-8541 2012/06 [Refereed][Not invited]
  
• Local Impacts of the 2007/2008 Food Price Crisis: Evidence from Rice Market Integration in Vietnam

  Kien Nguyen, Shoichi Ito, Hiroshi Isoda, Hisamitsu Saito

  Journal of Rural Economics Special Issue 298 - 305 1342-4408 2011/12 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Using weekly data from 2007 to 2010, this study explored the spatial integration of local rice markets in different regions of Vietnam before, during and after the food price crisis in the 2007/08 period. Using Johansen's co-integration test, the study determined clear long-run relationships among the market places. Yet market integration weakened considerably between surplus and deficit regions and it tended to be severer in the post-crisis period. Moreover, the adjustment speed remained extremely low after the price crisis because rice prices behaved locally among different groups of market places. Hence, in order to mitigate the impacts of food price increases, the analysis indicates that policy interventions need to concentrate on improving the integration between rice-surplus and deficit regions.
• Heterogeneous firms, trade liberalization and agglomeration

  Hisamitsu Saito, Munisamy Gopinath, JunJie Wu

  CANADIAN JOURNAL OF ECONOMICS 44 (2) 541 - 560 0008-4085 2011/05 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  In this study, we develop an economic model to examine agglomeration of heterogeneous firms following trade liberalization. In a closed economy, we show that high-productivity firms are more likely to agglomerate because they benefit more from agglomeration than their low-productivity counterparts. However, trade liberalization, especially with a high-productivity partner, favours partial agglomeration; that is, low-productivity firms relocate away from the region where high-productivity firms agglomerate. Consequently, the welfare gap between the domestic regions of an economy narrows following trade liberalization. The latter result suggests that trade liberalization promotes regional economic development.
• Knowledge Spillovers, Absorptive Capacity, and Skill Intensity of Chilean Manufacturing Plants

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Munisamy Gopinath

  Journal of Regional Science 51 83 - 101 2011/02 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Knowledge spillovers are an important source of economic growth. In this study, we identify a mechanism through which knowledge spillovers occur among plants in the Chilean manufacturing industry. A plant-level production function is estimated with the absorptive-capacity hypothesis, that is, employment of skilled workers is a key channel through which knowledge is transmitted across plants. Results show that a plant's productivity from spillovers increases with its skill intensity, which is measured by the share of skilled workers in total employment. We also find that plants in a region with a large knowledge stock increase their skill intensity to benefit more from spillovers. Our results suggest that an increase in regional knowledge stock is the most effective policy to improve a plant's productivity. However, policies that encourage a plant to employ high skill-intensive production also enhance its productivity.
• Quality-Oriented Technical Change in Japanese Wheat Breeding

  Saito, Yoko, Hisamitsu Saito, Takumi Kondo, Fumio Osanami

  Research Policy 38 1365 - 1375 2009/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  The article presents a productivity analysis of Japanese wheat breeding research. We first estimate a hedonic function to determine the marginal implicit values of Japanese wheat characteristics and find that protein contributes substantially to millers’ price offers to farmers. Induced innovation theory implies breeders thus should be responding to new protein-oriented price policies by developing high-protein wheat varieties. We test this hypothesis by estimating a distance function relating breeding resources – including what we call gene-recharge rates – to the yield and protein characteristics of discovered varieties. New varieties indeed have been protein-favoring and yield-disfavoring, suggesting government research programs have been market-oriented.
• Consumer Evaluations of Pork from Hogs Raised on Recycled Food Waste

  Yoko Saito, Hisamitsu Saito, Yasushi Sembokuya

  Agricultural Information Research 18 (3) 152 - 161 0916-9482 2009/10 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Eco-feed is an animal feed produced from the byproducts of food processing industry, and from food waste from restaurants. The use of eco-feed has gained greater attention as concerns about resource sustainability and Japan's low self-sufficiency rate in animal feed have increased. Although the use of eco-feed may help increase farm profits, it could also decrease the price of the meat relative to that of hogs raised on standard feed. This study analyzes consumer evaluations of pork from hogs raised on eco-feed using a stated preference method. The eco-feed-fed pork was negatively evaluated by some consumers, especially those who were reluctant to try it. On the contrary, the pork received positive evaluations from those who stated they were interested in recycling food, and from people with high incomes. To enhance the use of eco-feed at farm level, it is necessary to inform consumers that the quality of eco-feed is ensured and the use of eco-feed will help Japan achieve a sustainable society.
• Plants' Self-Selection, Agglomeration Economies and Regional Productivity in Chile

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Munisamy Gopinath

  Journal of Economic Geography 9 539 - 558 2009/07 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  In this study, we assess the relative contribution of plants’ self-selection and agglomeration economies to a region's productivity level. We focus on manufacturing plants by region in the Chilean food industry, which is not only a major source of employment and exports but also spatially dispersed. Our estimation of plant-level productivity corrects for possible simultaneity between productivity and conventional inputs and plants’ self-selection to locate in specific markets. Moreover, we account for three sources of externalities: localization, urbanization and demand-driven scale economies in our estimation. Then, a censored regression model relates regional productivity-distribution measures to agglomeration economies. We find that high-productivity (exporting) plants locate in a region where other plants in food industry agglomerate, industrial structure is diversified and market size is large. Our results suggest that plants’ self-selection outweighs the contribution of agglomeration economies in increasing a region's productivity level.
• Hedonic Price Analysis of Japanese Wheat Quality

  Yoko Saito, Hisamitsu Saito

  Agricultural Information Research 18 (1) 52 - 59 0916-9482 2009/04 [Refereed][Not invited]
   

  Japanese wheat price did not reflect the wheat quality until the abolition of the government control, resulting in the excess supply of unfavorable wheat for millers and consumers. The introduction of price bidding system in 2000 resulted to a wide price gap between varieties. Thus, the objective of this paper is to find the factors causing this gap that helps breeders and farmers set up breeding targets and choose a variety. Applying hedonic model to wheat quality data, we obtain the marginal implicit values of protein content, ash content, color, weight and amylo. Results show that hard wheat and protein content explain much of price gap, suggesting that hard wheat with high protein content is the best breeding target to maximize farmers' benefit.

MISC

• Designing a tourism stimulus during the COVID-19 pandemic in Japan

  Hisamitsu Saito  The annals of Research Center for Economic and Business Networks  11-  35  -38  2022/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Designing a Tourism Stimulus During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Japan

  Toshiyuki Matsuura, Hisamitsu Saito  RIETI Discussion Paper Series  21-E-012-  2021/02  [Not refereed]
  
• Foreign Direct Investment and Labour Market Dynamics in a Developing Country: Evidence from Indonesian Plant-Level Data

  Matsuura Toshiyuki, Saito Hisamitsu  ERIA Discussion Paper Series  318-  2020/02  [Not refereed]
  
• Agglomeration Economies, Productivity, and Quality Upgrading

  Hisamitsu Saito, Toshiyuki Matsuura  RIETI Discussion Paper Series  16-E-085-  2016/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Regional tourism dynamics in Japan: An exploratory spatial analysis

  João Romão, Hisamitsu Saito  CEFAGE-UE Working Paper  02-  2016  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Agglomeration and innovation in developing countries

  Hisamitsu Saito  The annals of Research Center for Economic and Business Networks  4-  58  -60  2015/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Inter-Regional Spillovers and Urban-Rural Disparity in U.S. Employment Growth

  Hisamitsu Saito, Munisamy Gopinath, JunJie Wu  ERSA conference papers ersa10p1129, European Regional Science Association  2010/08  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 地産地消とその動機 −品質か多面的機能の維持か−

  齋藤久光, 齋藤陽子  十勝型地産地消と地域密着型フードシステムの展開に関する研究』, 平成21年度帯広畜産大学・帯広信用金庫共同研究成果報告書(研究代表者：仙北谷康)  2010/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 学校給食からみた十勝型地産地消の特徴と課題

  齋藤陽子, 齋藤久光  十勝型地産地消と地域密着型フードシステムの展開に関する研究, 平成21年度帯広畜産大学・帯広信用金庫共同研究成果報告書(研究代表者：仙北谷康)  2010/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• エコフィード認証を受けた豚肉に対する消費者評価 −北海道の消費者を対象に−

  齋藤陽子, 齋藤久光  エコフィード産業クラスターの形成と課題に関する研究, 平成20年度帯広畜産大学・帯広信用金庫共同研究成果報告書(研究代表者：仙北谷康)  2009/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Evaluation of Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee’s Promotion Program

  Munisamy Gopinath, Hisamitsu Saito  Idaho-Eastern Oregon Onion Committee, Parma, ID and Agricultural Marketing Service, US Department of Agriculture, Washington DC  2007/01  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• Evaluation of Hazelnut Marketing Board’s Promotion Program

  Munisamy Gopinath, Hisamitsu Saito  Hazelnut Marketing Board, Portland, OR and Agricultural Marketing Service, US Department of Agriculture, Washington DC  2006/10  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  
• 食品産業の技術構造と都市の規模に関する分析 −函館市と室蘭市を例として−

  齋藤久光, 近藤巧  フードシステムの構造変化に伴う新農業技術の普及に関する研究, 平成12年度科学研究費補助金基盤研究(C)2研究成果報告書(研究代表者：土井時久)  2001/03  [Not refereed][Not invited]
  

Books etc

• Globalization and the Rural-Urban Divide

  Gopinath, Munisamy, Hanho Kim (ContributorThe Dynamics of Plant Productivity and Regional Productivity Growth in Chile)
  Seoul National University Press 2009/12 (ISBN: 9788952110718)

Presentations

• 貿易自由化と発展途上国における労働移動―労働者の技能に注目して―  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  第141回北海道農業経済学会例会  2024/03  北海道大学
• Foreign Direct Investment and Quality Upgrading Spillovers in Indonesia  [Not invited]

  Hisamitsu Saito, Toshiyuki Matsuura

  The 62nd Congress of the European Regional Science Association  2023/08
• Foreign Direct Investment and Quality Upgrading in Indonesian Manufacturing  [Not invited]

  Saito Hisamitsu, Matsuura Toshiyuki

  応用地域学会第35回研究発表大会  2021/11
• Foreign Direct Investment and Quality Upgrading in Indonesian Manufacturing  [Not invited]

  Hisamitsu Saito, Toshiyuki Matsuura

  日本国際経済学会第10回春季大会  2021/06
• Foreign Direct Investment and Labor Market Dynamics in a Developing Country: Evidence from Indonesian Plant-Level Data  [Not invited]

  松浦寿幸, 齋藤久光

  応用地域学会第 33 回研究発表大会  2019/11
• FDI and Labor Market Dynamics in a Developing Country: Evidence from Indonesian Plant-Level Data  [Not invited]

  Matsuura, Toshiyuki, Hisamitsu Saito

  2019 North American Meetings of the Regional Science Association International  2019/11
• FDI and Labor Market Dynamics in a Developing Country: Evidence from Indonesian Plant-Level Data  [Not invited]

  Matsuura, Toshiyuki, Hisamitsu Saito

  The 59th Congress of the European Regional Science Association  2019/08
• FDI and Labor Market Dynamics in a Developing Country: Evidence from Indonesian Plant-Level Data  [Not invited]

  松浦寿幸, 齋藤久光

  Theoretical Economics and Agriculture 2019年度春季研究会  2019/03
• ゲノム編集技術を利用した水産物の消費者受容  [Not invited]

  齋藤陽子, 渡邉大樹, 齋藤久光

  2018年度食農資源経済学会第12回大会  2018/09
• Agglomeration Economies, Productivity, and Quality Upgrading  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Toshiyuki Matsuura

  The 15th Summer Institute of the Pacific Regional Science Conference Organization  2018/07
• 観光需要の季節変動と地域経済  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光, João Romão

  応用地域学会第31回研究発表大会  2017/11
• Agglomeration Economies, Productivity, and Quality Upgrading  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Toshiyuki Matsuura

  The 57th Congress of the European Regional Science Association  2017/09
• Agglomeration Economies, Productivity, and Quality Upgrading  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Toshiyuki Matsuura

  WEAI 13th International Conference  2017/01
• 集積の経済・生産性と品質改善  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光, 松浦寿幸

  応用地域学会第30回研究発表会  2016/11
• 新育種技術（NBT）により作出された農産物に対する消費者評価  [Not invited]

  齋藤陽子, 渡邉大樹, 齋藤久光

  2016年度食農資源経済学会第10回大会  2016/09
• Demand for a Transgenic Good with Nutritional, Medical, and Environmental Qualities  [Not invited]

  Saito, Yoko, Hideo Aizaki, Hisamitsu Saito, Takumi Kondo, Yasutaka Yamamoto

  2015 AAEA & WAEA Joint Annual Meeting  2015/07
• 日系食品企業の企業特性と海外立地選択  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  2014年度食農資源経済学会第8回大会  2014/09
• 多国籍企業の参入が地域経済に与える影響 −インドネシアを事例に−  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  応用地域学会第27回研究発表大会  2013/12  京都大学
• 多国籍食品企業が地域経済に与える影響 −インドネシアを事例に−  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  2013年度食農資源経済学会第7回大会  2013/09  別府大学
• 企業の異質性と日系食品企業の海外立地選択  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  第125回北海道農業経済学会例会  2013/03  北海道大学
• 企業の異質性，海外直接投資と地域間経済格差  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光, Munisamy Gopinath

  応用地域学会第25回研究発表会  2011/12  富山大学
• なぜ消費者は地産地消をするのか −参照点効果と表明選好法による接近−  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  第120回北海道農業経済学会例会  2010/09  北海道大学
• Inter-Regional Spillovers and Urban-Rural Disparity in U.S. Employment Growth  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Munisamy Gopinath, JunJie Wu

  The 50th European Congress of the Regional Science Association International  2010/08  J?nk?ping, Sweden
• 地域間スピルオーバーと雇用増加率の農村都市間格差  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  Theoretical Economics and Agriculture 2010年度春季研究会  2010/03  京都大学
• 雇用増加率の農村都市間格差とその要因 −空間計量経済学的アプローチ−  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  2010年度日本農業経済学会大会  2010/03  京都大学
• アメリカにおける経済成長の地域間格差とその要因  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  応用地域学会第23回研究発表大会  2009/12  山形大学
• Knowledge Spillovers and Spatial Concentration of High Skill-Intensive Production: The Chilean Case  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Munisamy Gopinath

  The 2009 Comparative Analysis of Enterprise (Micro) Data Conference  2009/10  Hitotsubashi University, Tokyo
• 豚肉のエコフィード認証に対する消費者評価  [Not invited]

  齋藤陽子, 齋藤久光, 仙北谷康

  第117回北海道農業経済学会例会  2009/02  北海道大学
• 製造業における知識のスピルオーバーおよび技術吸収力が熟練労働集約的な生産活動の集積に与える影響  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  応用地域学会第22回研究発表大会  2008/11  釧路公立大学
• 国内産小麦の品質が入札価格に及ぼす影響  [Not invited]

  齋藤陽子, 齋藤久光

  平成20年度日本農業経営学会研究大会  2008/09  鳥取大学
• Spatial Concentration of Skilled Labor: the Chilean Case  [Not invited]

  Saito, Hisamitsu, Musamy Gopinath

  International Agricultural Trade Research Consortium, Winter Meeting  2008/01  Willard Intercontinental Hotel Washington, D.C.
• 貿易自由化と生産性格差の集積に及ぼす影響  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光

  応用地域学会第21回研究発表会  2007/12  鳥取県立県民文化会館
• 食品産業の企業立地と地域経済 −新経済地理学からのアプローチ−  [Not invited]

  齋藤久光, Munisamy Gopinath

  2007年度日本農業経済学会大会  2007/03  沖縄国際大学

Association Memberships

• Agricultural and Applied Economics Association   Canadian Economics Association   THE FOOD, AGRICULTURAL AND RESOURCE ECONOMICS SOCIETY OF JAPAN   THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS SOCIETY OF HOKKAIDO   THE AGRICULTURAL ECONOMICS SOCIETY OF JAPAN   APPLIED REGIONAL SCIENCE CONFERENCE   

Research Projects

• Theoretical and Empirical Studies on the International Specialization in Japan and East Asia in the Era of Covid-19 and Beyond

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research

  Date (from‐to) : 2022/04 -2026/03 

  Author : 木村 福成, 清田 耕造, 松浦 寿幸, 齋藤 久光, 田中 清泰, 笹原 彰, 早川 和伸, 伊藤 匡, 大久保 敏弘
• 発展途上国における経済のグローバル化と地域間労働移動

  日本学術振興会：科学研究費助成事業

  Date (from‐to) : 2021/04 -2024/03 

  Author : 齋藤 久光

   

  本研究は，インドネシアを事例に，工業製品への関税削減が国内の労働移動に与える影響を考察するものである．先行研究によると，発展途上国において熟練労働集約的な中間財の輸入が増えるにしたがい，地場企業は未熟練労働を集約的に用いる生産へと移行することが知られている．一方，熟練労働集約的な輸入中間財を使用するためには熟練労働が必要となり，その結果，地場企業の熟練労働集約度が高まることを示した先行研究も存在する．そこで本研究では，輸入関税の削減により，労働移動がどのような影響を受けるのか，労働者の学歴や職業別にその影響を明らかにする． 令和3年度は主に，統計データの整理と実証モデルの検討を行った．統計データの整理では，インドネシアが課す各財への関税率と，インドネシアの産業連関表を組み合わせることで，産業ごとに中間財の輸入にかかる関税率を求めた．さらに，インドネシアの『工業統計調査・個票データ』から得られる各地域の産業別従業者割合をもとに，関税削減が中間財輸入に与える影響を地域別に測定する変数を作成した． 実証モデルの検討では，先行研究の整理を主に行った．その結果，地域間の労働移動数を移動元と移動先の地域特性によって説明する重力モデルや，労働移動をするかしないか，移動するならばどの地域に移動するかを，個人特性や移動先の地域特性によって説明する条件付きロジットモデルを用いた分析が主として行われていることが分かった．条件付きロジットモデルについてはこれまでの研究で利用した経験があるため，令和3年度は重力モデルの特性を把握することを目的に，コロナ禍での旅行者の移動実態の変化を日本を事例に分析し，論文にまとめた．
• Inward Foreign Direct Investment and Quality Upgrading of Local Firms

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)

  Date (from‐to) : 2018/04 -2021/03 

  Author : Saito Hisamitsu

   

  In this study, we examine the impact of inward foreign direct investment on the management of local firms in the host country, focusing on its impact on the quality of their products. Employing firm-level data for Indonesia, we show that local firms can acquire the know-how to produce high-quality goods from multinational enterprises (MNEs). In addition, MNEs indirectly contribute to the quality upgrading of local firms by enhancing their productivity so that they can bear the additional costs necessary to upgrade the quality of their products.
• Entry and exit of multinational and local firms and its impact on the host economy

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)

  Date (from‐to) : 2015/04 -2018/03 

  Author : Saito Hisamitsu

   

  The entry of multinational firms will increase the average productivity level in developing countries through (i) the exit of inefficient local firms and (ii) spillover effects. Employing plant-level data in Indonesian manufacturing, we find that the entry of multinational firms induces the exit of low-productivity local firms from the market. In addition, this effect has greater impacts on regional productivity than spillover effects. Thus, the benefits of foreign direct investment will be maximized by facilitating the entry and exit of local firms.
• Integrated Research of the Agricultural Trade Liberalization Impact on the Natural and Social Environment: Toward the Enhancement of Agricultural Trade Negotiation Power

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (A)

  Date (from‐to) : 2014/04 -2018/03 

  Author : 山本 康貴, 近藤 功庸, 齋藤 久光, 齋藤 陽子, 増田 清敬, 近藤 巧, 澤内 大輔, 合崎 英男

   

  日EU経済連携協定の発効など、農産物貿易の自由化圧力がより一層強まっている。農産物貿易の自由化は、輸出国と輸入国双方における農業の生産や経済面だけはなく、環境にも影響を及ぼす。環境への影響も、生物多様性喪失などの自然環境だけには留まらない。日本などの輸入国側では輸入拡大・生産縮小に伴う失業問題などの社会不安、さらには、米国などの輸出国側でも、輸出・生産の拡大に伴う不法移民労働の雇用拡大やこれに伴う低賃金や長時間労働の強制などの社会環境にも甚大な影響を及ぼす可能性は注目される。こうした農産物貿易自由化が、自然環境だけはなく社会環境にも及ぼす影響を総合的に実証分析し、日本の農産物貿易交渉力強化に資する基礎的知見を提供することが、本研究の目的である。本研究では、農産物貿易自由化が環境に及ぼす影響を、次の２つの座標から分析する。１つ目は、自然環境への影響と社会環境への影響という軸である。２つ目は、農業生産現場の実態等における影響というミクロ的視点と、このミクロ的視点を踏まえた国全体における影響等というマクロ的視点という軸である。これら２つを軸にし、本研究では、農産物貿易自由化が、輸入国だけではなく、輸出国にも自然環境のみならず社会環境にも影響を及ぼす可能性を、実証的に解明する。本年度は、農産物貿易が社会環境と自然環境へ及ぼす影響についての国民評価の解明を試みた。具体的には、農産物貿易自由化が社会環境と自然環境についての国民評価に関連する国内外の学術論文・文献を、電子ジャーナルデータベースなどを利用してサーベイし、学会参加なども通じて関連する最新の研究情報を入手した。社会環境と自然環境に対する消費者評価を、ウェブ調査のアンケートデータを用い、計量モデル分析で解明した。
• Determinants and its impact of deepening of international production network in East Asia in heterogeneous firm framework

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

  Date (from‐to) : 2014/04 -2018/03 

  Author : KIMURA Fukunari, HAYAKAWA Kazunobu, ITO Tadashi, TANAKA Kiyoyasu, SAITO Hisamitsu

   

  The aim of this project is to investigate how international production and distribution networks have been developed in East Asia and to examine the impacts of such networks on the economy. In particular, we focus on the activities of multinational enterprises (MNEs), which have played a central role in the formation of international production networks. Specifically, we study their location choice abroad and how they change their sales and procurement patterns. The impacts of their entry on the productivity of local firms are also explored.
• Foreign direct investment by food processing firms: Motivation and location decisions

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Young Scientists (B)

  Date (from‐to) : 2012/04 -2015/03 

  Author : SAITO Hisamitsu

   

  This study investigates the motivation for and location decisions of foreign direct investment by Japanese food processing firms. The results show that a reduction in prices of agricultural products in a country attracts inward investment by high-productivity multinational firms. The entry of multinational firms induces the exit of low-productivity local firms from the market. The resulting increase in average productivity of food processing firms improves economic welfare of the host country.
• Role of Multinational Firms in the International Production and Distribution Networks in Asia

  Japan Society for the Promotion of Science：Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)

  Date (from‐to) : 2010/04 -2014/03 

  Author : KIMURA Fukunari, MASTUURA Toshiyuki, OKUBO Toshihiro, HAYAKAWA Kazunobu, MACHIKITA Tomohiro, TANAKA Kiyoyasu, ANDO Mitsuyo, ITO Tadashi, SAITO Hisamitsu

   

  This study investigates the mechanics of the production and distribution network in East Asia. It is well known that the production and distribution network has developed in East Asia since the 1990s and has contributed to economic growth in this region. In this research project, using firm-, plant-, or product-level micro data, we examine how the production and distribution network has emerged and its impact on local economy, with paying attention to the following three factors; (a) the reduction of trade cost, (b) factor price gap or differences in location advantages, and (c) the role of multinational firms.

Academic Contribution

• 学校給食からみた十勝型地産地消の特徴と課題

  Date (from-to) :2009

  Role: Academic research planning

  Type: Academic research
• 地産地消とその動機 －品質か多面的機能の維持か－

  Date (from-to) :2009

  Role: Academic research planning

  Type: Academic research
• エコフィード認証を受けた豚肉に対する消費者評価 －北海道の消費者を対象に－

  Date (from-to) :2008

  Role: Academic research planning

  Type: Academic research