Shoko Kawata Named Time Influential Rising Star After Maternity Leave

Yawata Mayor Shoko Kawata, who made history earlier this year as a sitting mayor in Japan to take maternity leave, was named to Time’s list of 100 of the World’s Most Influential Rising Stars. The 36-year-old municipal leader, who was elected in 2023 as Japan’s youngest-ever female mayor, gave birth to a baby girl on September 15, according to city officials. Kawata began her maternity leave in July and has continued managing municipal duties online during an absence scheduled to run through November 8.

Shoko Kawata Takes Maternity Leave in Japan

Kawata announced her plans to take maternity leave earlier in the year, sparking discussions both domestically and internationally about gender roles in Japanese politics. The decision drew a mixture of praise and backlash in a country where the share of female politicians remains low and gender bias poses a significant hurdle for women in the workplace. Many observers viewed the criticism as a reflection of Japan’s broader demographic crisis, where demanding workplace expectations and rising living costs put parenthood increasingly out of reach, according to Time’s write-up.

Despite the controversy, Kawata maintained that combining public office and motherhood should be straightforward. The decision to take maternity leave wasn’t difficult because I never saw childbirth and public office as incompatible, she told The Japan Times in an interview in May. I just felt it was something that should be accepted as normal.

Family-Friendly Policies Advance in Yawata

During her tenure, Kawata’s administration has championed several family-oriented policy items designed to ease the financial burden of raising children. These initiatives include reducing the price of school lunches, providing free diapers at preschools, and pushing for expanded postpartum care options. Kawata is demonstrating how Japan can become more livable for families, Time magazine noted in its profile. Kawata shared the rising star recognition with other international figures, including English actor Himesh Patel, Food4Education founder Wawira Njiru, and Chinese mathematician Yu Deng.