Yoshiro Mori has confirmed he is resigning as president of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee over sexist comments made earlier this month.
Key points:
- Mori had earlier refused to step down, but has done so after public backlash
- He said his resignation was to be effectively immediately
- There are calls for him to be replaced by a female former athlete
Mori said in response to a call for the Japanese Olympic Committee to increase the number of women on its board that women would talk too much in board meetings and “have a strong sense of rivalry”.
He refused to step down in the immediate aftermath of the comments, but public sentiment eventually became overwhelmingly against the 83-year-old former Japanese prime minister, including pressure from politicians, television pundits, sponsors and an online petition that drew 150,000 signatures.
“My inappropriate comments caused a big trouble. I am sorry,” Mori said at an executive board and council meeting, less than six months before the rescheduled 2020 Games are set to start, on July 23.
“If my presence causes trouble, our efforts so far have been brought to nothing.
He said the most important thing now was for the Tokyo Olympics to be a success.
His resignation was to be effective immediately, and the board was expected to pick his successor later on Friday.
The Olympics are to open on July 23, with 11,000 athletes and 4,400 more in the Paralympic a month later.
Recent polls suggest that about 80 per cent of people in Japan want the Olympics cancelled or postponed, with clear support for the games sitting at about 15 per cent.
Calls for a woman to replace Mori
Early reports said Mori had earmarked 84-year-old Saburo Kawabuchi, the former president of Japanese football’s governing body and a former Olympian at the 1964 Games.
But Kawabuchi is even older than Mori and will raise the issue of why a woman was not appointed after the debate that Mori’s remarks triggered over gender inequality in Japan and the absence of women in positions of power.
Kawabuchi indicated on Thursday he had been contacted by Mori but said later he indicated he might not be the appropriate choice.
Japanese media immediately pointed out there were three qualified women — all athletes and former Olympians and at least a generation younger — who could fill the job.
Kaori Yamaguchi won a bronze medal in the 1988 Olympics in judo. Mikako Kotani won two bronze medals in the 1988 Olympics in synchronized swimming. And Naoko Takahashi was a gold medallist in the marathon in the 2000 Olympics.
Seiko Hashimoto, the current Olympic minister and a former Olympian, has also been mentioned as a candidate.
Mori’s remarks have put the spotlight on how far Japan lags behind other prosperous countries in advancing women in politics or the boardrooms. Japan stands 121st out of 153 in the World Economic Forum’s gender equality rankings.
AP
