Shoko Kawata, Japan's first mayor to take maternity leave, has been named one of the 100 most influential rising stars by TIME Magazine. The recognition comes weeks after the 36-year-old gave birth to her first child on 15 September. Earlier this year, Kawata, who is mayor of Yawata City in Kyoto prefecture, was plunged into a national debate about whether elected officials should take time off for childbirth. Her decision to take maternity leave drew a mix of support and backlash across Japan, a country that is struggling to lift birth rates. Some on social media said having a baby is tough and Kawata is doing her best. Japanese society has failed to design systems with pregnancy in mind, one claimed.
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