A mayor in Japan announced her maternity leave – and the whole country talked

Although there is legal maternity and paternity leave – which guarantees vacation time and partial income compensation – not everyone takes it.

Women can get it six weeks before giving birth and eight weeks after giving birth. Fathers receive up to four weeks of flexible paid leave within eight weeks of the birth of a child.

Both parents are entitled to childcare leave until the child is one year old. During this period, eligible employees receive 67% of their salary for the first 180 days and 50% thereafter. From April 2025, some parents may receive extra support for the first 28 days if both parents take leave.

“I think a lot of people are looking to see how situations like this – when a woman serves as mayor and gives birth – are handled in practice,” says Deputy Mayor Shigeto Noz.

The 62-year-old father of two will exercise all of the mayoral powers in Kawata’s absence, discussing key issues remotely once a week.

He never took any parental leave himself and left all childcare to his wife. “I was tired when I came home. Even though the baby cried at night, I left it to my husband. Now that I look back, I think it was something I should have thought about.”

Now, his son-in-law is taking a six-month leave to help his daughter take care of their second child. “It makes me happy to see that, times have really changed and it’s great to see them working together like that.”

Kawata said that the criticism against her stems in part from her strong belief that those in certain positions – such as public office – should give up their private lives and devote themselves entirely to the public.

“I really hope they’re surprised,” she said when asked what her future child would think of the attention surrounding her pregnancy.

“I think it’s normal for women to do both – we need to create a society where we don’t have to choose between working and having a family.”