(A04) Data infrastructure team

This research group aims to create a framework for the scientific use of administrative data, mainly resident tax data, held by local governments. Our final goal is to build a framework that enables social scientists, not limited to those who participate in this project, to access high-quality administrative data for statistical analyses. The scientific use of administrative data substantially improves the quality of social science research in Japan but providing academically valuable data, such as panel data on individuals and individual firms, runs the risk of disclosing sensitive information. Therefore, it is necessary to ensure legal compliance in data handling and technically ensure the non-disclosure of sensitive information. To conduct a balanced examination, our team consists of economists who fully understand the purpose of the analysis, legal scholars who deeply understand the rules and systems, and data scientists who have skills in not compromising privacy. These members are knowledgeable about the government, related organizations, and academic discussions. Scientific use of administrative data has not been conducted in Japan, with some exceptions; thus, there are many new issues to be discussed, and sorting and resolving these issues has academic value.