Japanese mayor's announcement of baby break sparks nationwide debate

Yawata Mayor Shoko Kawata, 35, has announced she will take several months off work for parental leave following the birth of her child, igniting a nationwide discussion in Japan about maternity leave and women's place in politics. Kawata plans to withdraw from daily operations two months before and two months after her due date. As Japan currently has no legal provisions for parental leave for municipal leaders, she will not officially claim it. Her deputy, Shigeto Nose, will temporarily manage the city's affairs. Kawata is making history as the first mayor in Japan to take maternity leave while in office.

While Kawata's staff fully support her decision, public opinion is divided. Online discussions reveal a spectrum of views, with many praising Kawata for balancing family and career and seeing her as a role model for aspiring female politicians. However, critics accuse her of neglecting her public duties, with some even calling for her resignation or a salary reduction during her absence.

Kawata countered these criticisms, telling the BBC that such a policy would effectively exclude women of childbearing age from public office. This debate highlights a significant challenge in Japanese society, which struggles with a low birthrate and low female political participation. Official data shows that women held only about 4% of mayoral and local leadership positions last year. A 2025 government survey identified pregnancy, traditional gender roles, and harassment as key barriers for women in politics. Japan also lags internationally, ranking 118th out of 146 countries in the World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Index, and is the lowest-ranked G7 nation.

Kawata's deputy, Nose, views the situation as an opportunity to develop new solutions. He stated the question is not whether maternity leave is right or wrong, but how political responsibilities can be managed during such a period.

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That would mean that all women between 20 and 40 – women who can get pregnant – would be excluded from public office.