Labor Market Adjustments in the Medium Run: Female Labor Supply Five Years After the Pandemic

This paper examines how female labor supply in Japan evolved in the medium run following the COVID-19 pandemic. Using a retrospective individual panel survey covering 2014, 2019, and 2024, I analyze employment, working hours, and income five years after the pandemic. On average, labor outcomes follow pre-pandemic trends, but substantial heterogeneity emerges across groups. Mothers of young children increased employment but reduced working hours, indicating adjustments along extensive and intensive margins. Remote workers also worked fewer hours, and the income gap between regular and non-regular workers widened. These findings suggest persistent changes in work arrangements and inequality in the post-pandemic labor market. JEL— J21; J22; J16