Shoko Kawata becomes 1st sitting mayor in Japan's history to take maternity leave

Shoko Kawata, the mayor of Japan's Yawata, on Monday became the first sitting mayor in the country's history to take maternity leave. Kawata is due to give birth in mid-September. While 16 weeks of maternity leave is guaranteed for Yawata city employees, no such protocol existed for mayoral position, Kawata said, forcing her to create one.