SocietyJapan’s first mayor to take maternity leave named to TIME100 Next
Shoko Kawata, mayor of Yawata City, has been named to TIME Magazine’s TIME100 Next list after taking maternity leave and giving birth to her first child. Her decision triggered both support and backlash in Japan. With no legal framework for local elected officials, she arranged for her deputy to assume her authority for 16 weeks while she worked remotely when possible.
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BBC News★★☆☆☆2026-10-02 05:53Original
Japan’s first mayor to take maternity leave named to TIME100 Next
Society