First Mayor in Japan Takes Maternity Leave Amid Gender Equality Challenges

In an unprecedented move, Shoko Kawata, the mayor of Yawata city in Japan, has become the first sitting mayor to take maternity leave. This decision, which unfolded on Monday, has sparked discussions both domestically and on the international stage.

Kawata, who took office as Japan’s youngest female mayor at the age of 33 in 2023, had considered starting a family while serving. Despite the city’s employees having access to 16 weeks of maternity leave, no such provision existed for the mayoral role, prompting her to establish this protocol herself.

“I was very surprised myself to learn that I am the first mayor to take maternity leave. It made me realize that until now there simply haven’t been many young women, or women in general, who have become mayors,” Kawata stated during an interview at Yawata City Hall.

Her last official duty before commencing maternity leave included participating in a procession for Yawata’s Taiko festival. Traditionally, the shrine’s leader rides atop a portable Shinto shrine known as a mikoshi. However, Kawata, heavily pregnant, chose to walk behind it.

Japan’s political landscape is notably male-dominated despite progress such as Sanae Takaichi becoming the country’s first female prime minister last year. The country’s gender gap persists, as highlighted by Japan’s ranking of 118th out of 148 countries in the latest World Economic Forum gender gap report.

Kawata expressed the urgency for reform, suggesting that the current system must evolve to encourage leaders to start families. Without improvements, she warned of likely population and economic decline, given Japan’s low birth rates.

While Kawata found support among local residents and colleagues, she faced disappointment from online criticism. Reports often centered on her maternity leave rather than her mayoral achievements, which led to accusations of neglecting her duties.

Despite the critique, many Yawata residents, including homemaker Chie Fujita, supported Kawata’s right to take leave. Fujita remarked, “I’m a woman, and I’ve given birth myself, so I believe that as a woman’s right, she should be able to take time off when giving birth.” However, Fujita expressed disagreement over the mayor receiving her full salary during this period.