Yawata mayor makes history by taking maternity leave

Shoko Kawata, 35-year-old mayor of Yawata city in Kyoto Prefecture, plans to take 16 weeks of maternity leave around the birth of her child—eight weeks before and eight weeks after—believed to be the first time an incumbent Japanese mayor steps away for childcare. Her decision highlights Japan’s work‑life balance challenges and the lack of legal protections for elected officials on maternity leave, as she appoints a deputy to run the nearly 70,000‑strong city and stays connected by email amid a broader national debate on gender equality and declining birth rates.