MLB are the only major sports league in North America that guarantees paternity leave to its players. Back on April 18, Shohei Ohtani went on the paternity list for the birth of his daughter. Mamiko Tanaka and Ohtani welcomed their first child together, and Ohtani was able to be there every step of the way.
Shohei Ohtani Can Make History Again Amid Paternity Leave
Ohtani's absence from sports has initiated an entire campaign in Japan-as if there were any doubt-of fathers taking on more time to become fathers across the nation, outside of baseball or professional sports.
In 2023, men accounted for only 30.1% of employees who took any available paid parental leave. Although men are entitled to take up to 52 weeks paid leave, as at now, no man has taken a necessary rest during this period.
From 2022 to 2024, 162 MLB players went on paternity leaves for the three days provided by the professional players' bargaining agreement in 2011, while Ohtani joined the rest by returning after two days on paternity leave.
Japanese athletes are trying to leverage Ohtani's leave to change the rules in Japan - Ken Tokura, a soccer player for Tochigi City FC, being one of such athletes.
“My daughter happened to be born on my day off, so I got to be in the delivery room, but if that wasn’t the case, I probably would have had to deal with lots of emotions. This is why the league needs to set up a ‘paternity list’ policy and a culture that encourages players to spend quality time with family,” Tokura said.
The athletes have to deal with all the real life issues within their homes like and not leave this matter to be understood by fans and organizations when it comes to a game. This was what Japan Professional Baseball Players Association did when Shuta Ishikawa got two days off as if he was placed on official paternity leave.
The most topical issue at the moment is Yusuke Nishiyama spending a month off on paternity leave. Nishiyama fans an entire Toyota corporate marathon team with a whole lot of rules and areas that differ from the general professional sports leagues in Japan.
He made a great point, though: “If the Dodgers can manage a few games without its superstar player Ohtani, there’s no reason other teams, regardless of sport, can’t let every new father take time off.”
Ohtani is a history maker in every aspect of life, and if his time away from the Dodgers will spark new rules in Japanese sports leagues, that would just be another thing to add to his already lengthy Hall of Fame résumé.