Shoko Kawata, the mayor of Yawata in Kyoto Prefecture, western Japan, has become the country’s first sitting mayor to take maternity leave, drawing widespread attention and sparking public debate, NBC News reported.
Kawata, who became Japan’s youngest female mayor in 2023 at age 33, said she was surprised to discover there was no established maternity leave policy for mayors, even though city employees are entitled to 16 weeks of paid leave. Her administration created a new framework to close that gap.
She said the milestone reflects how few women — particularly young women — have held mayoral office in Japan. Kawata also argued that supporting parents in leadership roles matters as the country grapples with a declining birth rate and an aging population.
While many residents and colleagues voiced support for her decision, some online critics questioned whether a mayor should take maternity leave at all, or continue receiving her full salary while on leave.
Meanwhile, U.S. Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance welcomed their fourth child, marking the first time in more than 150 years that a sitting U.S. vice president has welcomed a baby while in office.
