Mayor to make Japanese history by going on maternity leave
Shoko Kawata is set to become the first mayor in Japan to take maternity leave while in office. Her decision has sparked significant interest and discussion about parental leave for elected officials in the country. Kawata plans to appoint a deputy mayor during her absence and aims to demonstrate that leadership roles can accommodate maternity leave.
- ▪Shoko Kawata will take six weeks of maternity leave before giving birth and eight weeks after.
- ▪There are currently no legal provisions for maternity or paternity leave for elected officials in Japan.
- ▪Kawata hopes her actions will encourage more women to take on leadership roles and parental leave.
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| Original publisher | ABC News (Australia) |
| Canonical URL | https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-05-26/shoko-kawata-first-mayor-in-japan-to-take-maternity-leave/106722306 |
| Publication time | Tue, 26 May 2026 05:13:01 +0000 |
| Retrieval time | 2026-05-26T05:42:43.668Z |
| Last seen | 2026-05-26T05:42:43.668Z |
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Shoko Kawata to become first mayor in Japan to take maternity leave while in officePBy Patrick MartinTopic:Parental LeaveTue 26 May 2026 at 3:13pmTue 26 May 2026 at 3:13pmTue 26 May 2026 at 3:13pmShoko Kawata's maternity leave announcement has created significant interest in Japan. (Facebook: Shoko Kawata, file)abc.net.au/news/shoko-kawata-first-mayor-in-japan-to-take-maternity-leave/106722306Link copiedShareShare articleA pregnancy rarely generates national headlines, but in Japan, a mayor's upcoming maternity leave has done just that.Shoko Kawata is set to become the first incumbent Japanese mayor to take maternity leave while in office, according to local government organisations.There is currently no legal framework in Japan that guarantees or regulates such leave for elected…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).