Bank Control and the Number of Bank Relations of Japanese Firms

We explore the determinants of the number of long-term bank relations of listed Japanese firms using a unique data set covering the period 1982-1999. Japanese listed firms have about seven long-term bank loan relations on average, but show a large variation around the average. We analyze the determinants of the choice for the number of bank relations. We use data on loan and equity ownership to address the impact of the Japan-specific bank-firm relations and bank control on the number of loans decision. Having a relation with a top-equity holding bank reduces the number of bank relations, while debt-rich and cash-poor firms have more bank relations.firm-bank relations, single versus multiple borrowing, bank control, discrete choice models

International spillovers of R&D and marginal social returns

This study analyzes marginal social and private returns of R&D investment through the impact of international spillovers of R&D stocks. We compare the marginal social with marginal private returns using data of 27 OECD and EU countries from 1995 to 2008. We consider two channels of R&D spillovers: embodied in trade flows and disembodied by bilateral technological proximity. We find that marginal social returns on R&D are much larger than the marginal private returns for R&D-intensive countries, in the embodied spillover channel. We also find that the embodied spillover channel through import flows is more important than the disembodied channel

FINANCIAL DISTRESS AND INDUSTRY STRUCTURE:AN INTER-INDUSTRY APPROACH TO THE LOST DECADE IN JAPAN

This paper proposes a novel approach to investigating the propagation mechanism of balance sheet deterioration in financial institutions and firms, by extending the input-output analysis. First, we use a unique input-output table augmented by firm size dimension. Second, we link the input-output table with the balance sheet conditions of financial institutions and firms. Based on Japanese input-output tables, we find that the lending attitude of financial institutions affected firms' input decision in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. Simulation exercises are conducted to evaluate the effects of changes in the lending attitude toward small firms as favorable as that toward large firms on sectoral allocations. We find that output was increased for small firms and reduced for large firms. The change in output was non-negligible, about 5.5% of the initial output of each sector. In particular, it exceeded 20% in textile, iron and steel and fabricated metal products

Multiple Bank Relationships and the Main Bank System: Evidence from a Matched Sample of Japanese Small Firms and Main Banks

Based on a matched sample of Japanese small firms and main banks, we investigate bank-firm relationships in the early 2000s. We obtain some remarkable new findings. First, small firms have multiple bank relationships even though they have their main bank relations. Second, firms tied with financially weak main banks increase their number of bank relations to diversify liquidity risk. Third, the duration of a main bank relation has a positive effect on the number of bank relations. This is interpreted as either a reputation effect or firms' counterbalance actions against the monopoly power of main banks. To go further into this issue, we examine the effects of a main bank relation on the design of loan contracts. We find that firms with fewer bank relations tend to pledge personal guarantees to their main banks and are charged a higher interest rate. Our evidence lends support for the hypothesis of monopoly exploitation by main banks.

Financial Distress and Industry Structure: An inter-industry approach to the "Lost Decade" in Japan

This paper proposes a novel approach to investigating the propagation mechanism of balance sheet deterioration in financial institutions and firms, by extending the input-output analysis. First, we use input-output tables classified by firm size. Second, we link the input-output table with the balance sheet conditions of financial institutions and firms. Based on Japanese input-output tables, we find that the lending attitude of financial institutions affected firms' input decision in the late 1990s and the early 2000s. Simulation exercises are conducted to evaluate the effects of changes in the lending attitude toward small firms, as favorable as toward large firms, on sectoral allocations. We find that output was increased for small firms and reduced for large firms. The change in output was non-negligible, about 5.5% of the initial output of each sector. In particular it exceeded 20% in textile, iron and steel and fabricated metal products.

Redistributional View of Trade Credit Revisited: Evidence from micro data of Japanese small firms

This paper investigates the redistributional view of trade credit from the demand side, based on a unique micro data of Japanese small firms where information on transactions of intermediate goods between firms of different size is available. The redistributional hypothesis is tested in two steps. In the first step we examine the relationship of customer dependence on bank loans with a higher proportion of purchases from large suppliers. In the second step we examine the effect of a dependence on large suppliers on trade credit. We find evidence supporting the redistributional hypothesis for solvent customers, but not for debt-overhang customers.