Osaka University of Economics

Shadowing enhances second-language learners’ listening comprehension and the memorization of multiword expressions. However, it remains unclear whether the number of repetitions required varies based on different aspects of shadowing effectiveness. This study involved 30 Japanese university students who participated in 11 shadowing training sessions, each lasting 90 minutes per week. Pre- and post-intervention tests measured their improvements in listening comprehension, multiword expression knowledge, bottom-up processing, and repetition speed. The number of shadowing repetitions completed both inside and outside the classroom was also recorded. The results showed that learners who completed more repetitions achieved higher post-test scores in listening comprehension and multiword expression knowledge. Statistically significant improvements were also observed in bottom-up processing and repetition speed between the pre- and post-tests, regardless of the number of repetitions. These findings indicate that the optimal number of repetitions depends on the specific learning targets when using shadowing. Additionally, the present study suggested the possibility that a stage of automating bottom-up processing may exist as a prerequisite for improving listening skills through shadowing.

This paper analyzes the relationship between income distribution and social welfare when multiple pure public goods are privately provided. With a single public good and identical preferences, an increase in income inequality raises social welfare when it reduces the set of contributors so equality cannot be social optimal. We explore how this result is modified when there are multiple privately‐provided public goods. It is shown that regions of neutrality alternate with regions of non‐neutrality as income distribution is varied. In particular, in the setting of multiple privately‐supplied public goods with non‐idential preferences a region of non‐neutrality emerges when individuals contribute to different public goods or when only one individual contributes. Moreover, social welfare will always be maximized by an income distribution located in a region of non‐neutrality. This result implies that social welfare has local maxima at income distributions with inequality as well as around the equal income distribution. We also explore how the optimal extent of inequality is dependent on preference parameters.

The economic effects of beef cattle production on the local economy are not limited to the beef cattle sector; backward and forward linkage effects ripple through other sectors. We evaluated the linkage effects of Wagyu beef production in Shiga Prefecture. The findings are: (1) the backward and forward linkage effects are 10,950- and 14,324- million yen, respectively, which are 1.18- and 1.54-times the value of Wagyu beef production; (2) the backward linkage effect rippling within the prefecture is limited to 15.0% of the total effect, whereas the forward linkage effect rippling within the prefecture is 76.7% of the total effect.

Objective Increased public trust in government and political leaders during the COVID‐19 pandemic in various countries coexisted with a mounting backlash against pandemic‐control measures. To clarify this paradox of high trust alongside resistance to control measures, we show that amid the cross‐partisan consensus and increased roles for experts during the pandemic, blame for pandemic‐control measures were attributed to opposition parties and/or nonpartisan experts instead of governing incumbents. Consequently, the backlash against such measures did not erode public trust in governments and political leaders. Methods Utilizing survey data collected in Japan in 2020, we examined the public response to a de facto stay‐at‐home order and evaluated public trust in the incumbent party, opposition party, and advisory experts in Japan. Results Among governing‐party supporters and independents, dissatisfaction with the stay‐at‐home order did not decrease trust in the incumbent party but did decrease trust in the opposition party and in advisory experts. Conclusion One reason why public trust in the government remained high during the pandemic is that individuals’ responsibility attribution was biased. The government must clarify the distribution of roles and responsibilities during crises such as pandemics.

In Japan, road appurtenances are inspected with limited manpower and budget. In these inspections, outdoor workers go to the site to take images of the road appurtenances, while indoor workers confirm the locations of the images based on GPS data and organize them into a ledger. This process requires a great deal of labor, making efficiency improvements essential. Existing studies have proposed methods to manage images of road appurtenances using a three-dimensional model or QR codes to associate images with specific inspection sites. In this study, we propose a method to capture images of road appurtenances using pointing and calling gestures, while simultaneously recording the type of facility and verbalizing the damaged part, to streamline the association process.

This study examines international spillover effects of technological shocks using a dynamic open economy model in which production tasks are automated by robots. A concentration of robot production in a few countries worldwide is essential to understanding automation advances and robot price declines in a globalized economy. Technological improvements in robot‐producing countries decrease world robot prices and affect automation advances in other countries specializing in non‐robot production; however, the reverse is not true. The welfare effects are also asymmetric and depend on the type of technological shocks. For example, by improving the productivity of investment in robots, the non‐robot producing countries suffer from the deteriorated terms of trade and may become worse off depending on the global wealth distribution.

Background/Objectives: Internet use positively impacts mental health in older adults, with health literacy (HL) playing a key role. While social networks may complement individual HL, the role of neighborhood relationships in this association, particularly by gender, remains unclear. This study examined how the association between HL and Internet use among older adults was modified by neighborhood relationships. Methods: Using baseline data from the Chofu–Digital–Choju project, a cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 1955 community-dwelling adults aged 65–84 (889 men and 1066 women). HL was assessed using the Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale and dichotomized at four points. Neighborhood relationships were categorized as high (visiting/chatting with neighbors) or low (exchanging greetings/no relationship). Gender-stratified logistic regression analyses were performed with Internet use as the dependent variable, with HL, neighborhood relationships, and their interaction as independent variables. Results: Internet user proportion was 55.6% for men and 41.8% for women. HL was positively associated with Internet use in both genders, though patterns differed. Among men, the HL–Internet use association was consistent (OR = 3.09; 95% CI: 2.25–4.24) regardless of neighborhood relationship levels. For women, this association was significantly modified (interaction OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24–0.87). Women with low HL but strong neighborhood relationships showed increased odds of Internet use (OR = 2.08, 95% CI: 1.32–3.26). Conclusions: Gender-specific patterns in HL and neighborhood relationships influence Internet use among older adults. Neighborhood relationships may compensate for low HL in women, underscoring the need for gender-sensitive strategies to promote digital HL.

To reduce the huge maintenance costs of housings acquired due to tax arrears, New York City auctioned and transferred them to for-profit organizations. However, this led to repeated tax arrears and more dilapidation of the housings. Then, to avoid these consequences, the housings were switched to mainly transfer to local for-profit companies and non-profit organizations. Continuation of tenancy was ensured and limited equity tenant cooperatives were organized and the housings are transferred to cooperative members at low prices. In addition, some housings accommodated homeless people.

The tax lien securitization of New York City has been a financial success by reducing the cost of collecting delinquent taxes and bringing in more revenue than the amount of delinquent taxes due to interest and penalties. For investors, it was a low-risk and high-return investment thanks to the super lien status. The main factors behind its success are the exclusion of distressed properties, the existence of active bond and real estate markets. However, the negative aspects of securitization, such as the large redemption costs for owners and the loss of homes, were concentrated in black residential areas historically discriminated against in housing loans and taxation. Then, the reauthorization of the securitization was suspended in 2022. The securitization has raised many issues, such as basic questions of how to view housing, how to raise awareness of tax payment, the balance between strictness in tax collection and relief for those who are unable to pay, validity of public auction of tax collection rights, and etc.

This paper presents comparative information on the strength of the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and literacy skills at ages 6–8, drawing on data from France, Germany, Japan, Rotterdam (Netherlands), the United Kingdom, and the United States. We investigate whether the strength of the association between SES and literacy skills in early-to-mid childhood depends on the operationalization of SES (parental education, income, or both) and whether differences in inequalities at the end of lower secondary schooling documented in international large-scale assessments are already present when children have experienced at most two years of compulsory schooling. We find marked differences in SES-related inequalities in early achievement across countries that are largely insensitive to the way SES is measured and that seem to mirror inequalities reported for older students. We conclude that country context shapes the link between parental SES and educational achievement, with country differences rooted in the early childhood period.

Background/Objective: Frailty is a growing public health challenge in Japan’s rapidly aging population, where 28.8% are aged ≥ 65. While multicomponent interventions have shown potential in preventing frailty, traditional face-to-face programs face accessibility challenges. This study evaluated the feasibility and short-term changes of an online multicomponent intervention on frailty-related factors among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: In this single-arm feasibility study, 132 participants (mean age 75.7; standard deviation 4.8 years, 65.2% women) completed a six-week online intervention combining exercise, nutrition education, cognitive activities, and the Coimagination Method to foster social connections, meeting weekly for 75 min sessions in groups of up to 10 participants. Results: The intervention demonstrated feasibility with a 96.4% retention rate and a 94.0% average participation rate. While no significant changes were observed in physical activity levels, autonomic nervous system indicators, or cognitive function, carotenoid scores and hemoglobin concentration improved significantly, with more pronounced improvements among women than men. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the high feasibility of online multicomponent interventions for older adults and suggests potential benefits for nutritional status markers, particularly among women. These findings indicate a promising and accessible approach to frailty prevention, though randomized controlled trials with longer intervention periods and direct frailty assessments are required to establish effectiveness conclusively. Study Trial registration: UMIN Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN000053089).

Studies of voting behavior in some settings may be hampered by poor data availability or unsuitably large units of aggregation for reported turnout. We propose and demonstrate a practical big-data solution to these kinds of challenges, using fine-grained cell-phone mobility data on millions of GPS locations for more than 300,000 eligible voters in Tokyo. Our approach uses the geolocations of polling stations, combined with GPS data points recorded on election day and a reference day, to measure patterns in individual-level (but anonymized) voting behavior. We first test the validity of the measure by comparing it to official aggregated data on turnout, and then illustrate its substantive utility with an application exploring the well-known relationship between turnout decisions and the cost of voting, proxied by the distance between a voter’s residence and the polling station. Finally, we discuss the potential limitations of the approach and provide step-by-step instructions for other researchers.

Blockchain technologies enable transparent and trusting inter-organizational business collaborations in many domains, including also real-world assets (RWA). Consequently, decentralized application (DApp) platforms emerge that record collaboration-relevant data in an immutably traceable way. Such DApps comprise smart contracts that automate the enforcement of defined business protocols and conditions in an environment without reliance on trusted centralized third parties. Accurate RWA identification must include the correlated parties together with their respective roles in public network inter-organizational collaborations (IoC) involving blockchain technologies. Still, enterprises tend to prefer permissioned networks for DApps due to privacy concerns and challenges related to user management. RWA related organizations and involved roles are exposed to contextual changes that demand secure, adaptable, and versatile authentication means before involving them in blockchain-enabled IoC processes. Given these factors, the paper explores the combination of the Logistics BDT DApp for RWA tracking together with the multifactor challenge set self-sovereign identity authentication (MFSSIA) for effective counterfeit circulation prevention. This combination comprises non-fungible token (NFT)-based RWA identity authentication as a running case. This running case involves a set of configurable challenges and integrates them into the existing DApp combination to manage trustable IoC processes.