CIRJE-J-73. Okazaki, Tetsuji, "Labor Organization in Wartime Japan: Rethinking the Role of Sangyo Hokokukai", May 2002.

While we have rich literature on sangyo hokokukai (sanpo), which was organization of workers established at many companies during the Second World War, few research have been done, examining the role of sanpo quantitatively. In this paper, I propose a hypothesis that sanpo was a mechanism of "voice" in the sense of Freeman and Medoff[1984], and test this hypothesis using labor dispute data by prefecture and productivity data by firm. The results of regression analyses support the hypothesis. Also, referring to the framework of transaction cost economics, I propose a hypothesis that sanpo was complementary with the policy restricting inter-firm labor movement and the policy obliging companies to train workers, and provide with some evidences supporting the hypothesis.