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Story summary
- Shoko Kawata, mayor of Yawata, became Japan’s first sitting mayor to take maternity leave.
- She will be on leave until December as the deputy mayor runs city affairs while the Mainichi editorial said organizations must create structures to make leave routine.
- Kawata hopes leave will inspire women in politics and help Japan, ranked 118th of 148 in Gender Gap Report with 30% female councillors and 1.2% under-40, address shrinking population.
