Japan's youngest-ever female mayor takes historic 16-week maternity leave

Shoko Kawata, Japan's youngest-ever female mayor, began a 16-week maternity leave on 20 July. Kawata, who was elected mayor in 2023 at age 33, is the first mayor in Japanese history to take maternity leave. Her decision is seen as a landmark moment in Japan's ongoing debate about gender equality and work-life balance.