Shoko Kawada, Mayor of Hachiman, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, was selected as one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of the Next Generation

Shoko Kawada (right), Mayor of Hachiman, Kyoto Prefecture, Japan, was selected into the "Top 100 Most Influential People of the Next Generation" by Time magazine. (Reuters)

The American Time magazine (TIME) announced on September 30 a list of the "Top 100 Next Generation Influential People" (TIME100 Next) in the fields of politics, entertainment, sports and other fields, who are responsible for the future. Among them, the 36-year-old Mayor of Yawata City, Kyoto Prefecture, Kawada Shoko was selected as one of the leader representatives because she "set a precedent" and took maternity leave as an elected mayor.

According to Time Magazine, Kawada Shoko was elected mayor of Yawata City in 2023, becoming the youngest female mayor in Japanese history at the age of 33. She made history again this year because she made a seemingly ordinary decision: to take maternity leave.

Time magazine explained that although Japanese workers can take maternity leave, elected mayors are not covered by the law. Therefore, Shoko Kawada's move to take maternity leave can be said to be "a precedent." During her 16-week maternity leave, the deputy mayor performed her duties and participated in meetings and major decisions remotely.

Time magazine also mentioned that Kawada's move to take maternity leave triggered criticism, highlighting the heavy pressure that Japanese women face in the workplace. However, she also won the support of many citizens. Many people believe that these criticisms reflect Japan's difficulties in coping with the demographic crisis, because such demanding workplace requirements and rising living costs have made parenthood increasingly out of reach.

Time magazine pointed out that after taking office, Kawada promoted policies such as reducing the price of nutritious lunches in schools and providing free diapers in kindergartens. In addition, she also strongly advocated increasing postpartum care services. Whether in her personal choices or at the policy level, Kawada showed how Japan can make families more suitable for life.