SK
Shoko Kawata
Politician
Shoko Kawata is the mayor of Yawata, Japan, and the first female mayor in the country to take maternity leave.
Notable Quotes
"I was so surprised because the reaction was so big."View Story →
"If we were to criticise politicians taking maternity leave, it means we are effectively excluding all women in their 20s through 40s - women who are capable of becoming pregnant - from public office."View Story →
"If we were to criticise politicians taking maternity leave, it means we are effectively excluding all women in their 20s through 40s - women who are capable of becoming pregnant - from public office."View Story →
Related Stories
Japan's first mayor to take maternity leave lands on TIME100 Next list
Shoko Kawata's maternity leave drew mixed reactions in Japan, a country struggling to lift birth rates.
October 2, 2026A mayor in Japan announced her maternity leave - and got the whole country talking
In the face of criticism, Shoko Kawata, 35, says she loves her job and is proud to be taking time off to have a baby.
July 2, 2026