ISLAMABAD: Japan’s mayor of Yawata, Shoko Kawata, has said that she did not realize how much discrimination against women still existed after her decision to take a maternity leave prompted debate on gender bias in workplace.
According to The New York Times, many residents celebrated her decision she announced in May, offering gifts like crocheted baby shoes and auspicious ceremonial rocks.
However, the news agency reported, that some people responded with anger, calling her irresponsible, and accusing her of placing her personal life above her constituents.
“I somehow realized for the first time just how much discrimination still exists,” Kawata said.
While speaking in the assembly on Monday, the mayor said that she was confident her deputy could run things smoothly while she was away, the Guardian reported.
While speaking to the British news agency, Kawata said that she did not expect it to be so controversial.
“There’s still an idea that in work, people should sacrifice their personal lives in order to devote themselves to their career,” she said.
Responding to the people upset on her decision — majority of whom were men — she said that maternity doesn’t physically affect men’s bodies which was why they could continue “working while pushing private life into the background.”
“But for women, physically, that simply isn’t possible,” she said.
According to World Economic Forum’s (WEF) Global Gender Gap Report 2025, Japan ranked 118th out of 148 countries in the world, lowest among the group of seven countries.
Despite the historic victory of Sanae Takaichi, Japan's first female prime minister, women's participation in Japanese politics remained scarce, with fewer than 4% of municipal leaders being women.
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