Japan's First Maternity‑Leaving Mayor Makes TIME100 List

Sat Oct 03 2026 00:01:28 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Shoko Kawata, Yawata City's 36‑year‑old mayor, joins TIME’s 100 Rising Stars as she balances motherhood and public service amid debate over maternity leave for elected officials.

Shoko Kawata of Yawata City in Kyoto has been added to TIME Magazine's TIME 100 Next list after giving birth to a daughter in September. Her decision to take 16 weeks of maternity leave sparked a nationwide debate, with supporters praising her trailblazing stance and critics questioning the responsibility of an elected official on leave. Kawata negotiated a temporary hand‑over of duties to her deputy mayor and continued remote contact with the city’s staff. She used her experience to advocate for policies that support parents, asserting that excluding women from office due to family responsibilities is unjust.

Japan's First Maternity‑Leaving Mayor Makes TIME100 List

Shoko Kawata, the 36‑year‑old mayor of Yawata City in Kyoto prefecture, has been added to TIME Magazine’s TIME 100 Next list of the world’s most influential rising stars. The honor follows her recent birth of a daughter on 15 September, an event that put her at the center of a national debate over whether public office holders should be allowed to take maternity leave.

A Milestone and a Polarisation

Kawata’s decision to step back from her duties for 16 weeks drew praise from supporters who see her as a trailblazer for women in politics, but criticism from detractors who called the move irresponsible and suggested that top officials wanting to take extended leave should resign. Critics also urged a pay cut during maternity leave.

Charting a New Path

With no legal framework for local officials, Kawata negotiated a temporary hand‑over of responsibilities to deputy mayor Shigeto Nose and maintained remote contact with the city’s staff. She announced the birth of her daughter via a photo on X, thanking supporters and reaffirming her commitment to social policy.

A Message for Future Leaders

If we criticize politicians taking maternal leave, we are effectively driving women in their twenties to forties—capable of becoming pregnant—out of public office, Kawata said in a BBC interview before the birth. I intend to bring the experience of parenthood into policy, confronting the challenges that parents face together.

Her TIME 100 placement underscores the growing global conversation about work‑life balance and gender equality, even as Japan grapples with a declining birth rate.