Japan minister’s paternity leave challenges work pressure

(FASTNEWS | Tokyo) – Japan’s Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi has said he plans to take paternity leave – a rare decision that is making headlines in the country.

Mr Koizumi said he would take two weeks off in the first month of his child’s life. The baby is due later this month.

It will be the first time a Japanese cabinet minister has taken paternity leave.

In Japan, both men and women are entitled to take up to a year off work when their child is born.

But only 6% of fathers did so in 2018 because of pressure to continue working. The figure for women was 82%.