Some municipal assemblies have begun to let male members miss sessions for the birth of a child, a move aimed at encouraging men to be more involved in child-rearing.

In Chatan, Okinawa Prefecture, meeting rules were changed in late July to add "assisting a spouse's delivery" as a reason for missing a session.

The move was prompted by decisions in May by the two national associations of municipal assemblies to have the same rule for women added to their model meeting rules, apparently to encourage more women to enter politics.