On May 17, the Yawata city government in Kyoto Prefecture announced that incumbent Mayor Shoko Kawata (35) is pregnant and expects to give birth in September. She plans to take maternity leave, a move described as unprecedented for a sitting mayor in Japan.
Speaking to the press, Kawata said she hopes to balance job responsibilities with motherhood. Under the plan, a deputy mayor will temporarily handle mayoral duties during her leave.
Yawata city has not confirmed the exact length of the leave, but Japanese labor law allows women up to 14 weeks of pre- and post-natal maternity leave. Kawata’s case is expected to set a legal and practical precedent for incumbent female leaders who wish to have children in the future.
