YAWATA — Shoko Kawata, the 35-year-old mayor of Yawata, announced in May 2026 that she will take time off for childbirth. Her due date is in mid-September 2026, and she plans to be away from her duties for a total of four months, two months before and two months after her due date.

There is no specific legal framework in Japan for local elected officials to take official maternity leave. During her absence, Deputy Mayor Shigeto Nose will temporarily assume her mayoral responsibilities. Nose will exercise all mayoral authority and discuss major matters with Kawata remotely once a week.

Kawata became Japan's youngest-ever female city mayor at the age of 33. She expressed surprise at the attention her decision garnered, stating, "I was so surprised because the reaction was so big." Kawata said criticizing politicians for taking maternity leave would exclude women of childbearing age from public office. "If we were to criticise politicians taking maternity leave, it means we are effectively excluding all women in their 20s through 40s - women who are capable of becoming pregnant - from public office," Kawata said.

Deputy Mayor Shigeto Nose, who is 62 years old, acknowledged the situation. "I do think many people are watching to see how situations like this - when a woman gives birth while serving as a mayor - can be handled in practice," Nose said. He also reflected on his own past, stating, "When I came home, I was tired. Even if the baby cried during the night, I left it to my wife. Looking back now, I genuinely feel that's something I should reflect on."

Why It Matters

Kawata's decision to take maternal leave underscores the absence of formal provisions for local elected officials in Japan. As of 2025, women constituted approximately 4% of Japan's 1,720 municipal leaders. A Cabinet Office survey released in July 2025 identified pregnancy, the perception of politics as a male domain, and harassment as factors deterring women from entering Japanese politics.

The World Economic Forum's June 2025 Global Gender Gap Report ranked Japan 118th out of 146 countries, making it the lowest-performing G7 nation on the gender equality index. While statutory maternity leave in Japan allows women six weeks before their due date and eight weeks after giving birth, and statutory paternity leave offers fathers up to four weeks of flexible paid leave, these provisions do not extend to local elected officials. Both parents are entitled to childcare leave until a child turns one, with eligible employees receiving 67% of their wages for the first 180 days and 50% thereafter.