TOKYO – Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee and former prime minister, could be forced to resign after making derogatory remarks about women earlier this week.
It is an additional problem, as the organizers and the International Olympic Committee are trying to withdraw the Delayed Games in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. It will open on July 23.
The organizing committee said on Thursday that it did not have a statement, but expects to have one later that day.
Mori was reported by the daily Asahi Shimbun to say that women talk too much in meetings during an online meeting of the board of directors of the Japanese Olympic Committee earlier this week. Her comments have created a storm in Japan, where women are underrepresented in politics and council chambers.
In an interview with the 83-year-old Japanese newspaper Mainichi on Thursday, Mori, 83, apologized and suggested he could resign.
“I had no intention of disrespecting women,” Mainichi told her. “I think I have to fulfill my responsibility, but if resignation demands increase, I may have to resign.”
He added: “He was careless of me and I would like to apologize.”
Asahi reported in an online meeting on Tuesday: “Women are very competitive. When one of them raises her hand, I probably think they have to say something too. And then everyone says something.”
His comment came when he was asked about the presence of a few women on the board of directors of the Japanese Olympic Committee.
“If we have more female directors,” someone remarked, “then the meetings go on for a long time if we don’t restrict comments. I don’t say who she is,” he said.
The Tokyo Olympics he leads are already flooded with problems.
About 80% of Japanese pollsters say the Games should be postponed or canceled in the midst of the pandemic. They also spoke of rising costs that could total more than $ 25 billion to make these Olympics.