Criticism continues to rain in Japan after the sexist comments made by the chairman of the organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics, Yoshiro Mori, who apologized Thursday while dismissing the idea of resigning.
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On Wednesday, this ephemeral Prime Minister (2000-2001), aged 83, complained that “boards of directors with a lot of women take a long time”, because they “have trouble finishing” their speeches , “Which is annoying”.
On Thursday, Mr. Mori apologized at a press conference where he appeared on the defensive, saying he wanted to withdraw his remarks while awkwardly explaining that he did not speak “often with women lately”.
His apologies did not calm the anger of some. “I do not want to talk too much about it, because it may affect me morally,” responded Olympic swimming medalist Satomi Suzuki after a competition Thursday, according to comments reported by local media.
“I found (the words of Mr. Mori, Editor’s note) quite deplorable and they angered me,” she added.
“If he believes that withdrawing his statements is enough, he doesn’t care about people,” Chizuko Takahashi elected Communist parliamentarian Chizuko Takahashi said on Twitter on Friday.
The indignation crossed the Japanese borders, the former Canadian hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser, a member of the Athletes’ Commission of the International Olympic Committee, announcing that he wanted to “say two words” to Mr. Mori.
“See you in Tokyo !! #oldboysclub ”, she launched on the same social network.
According to Japanese media, Tokyo city hall has also received complaints from Games volunteers, postponed last year because of the pandemic and which should open in less than six months.
Hearing these words “really discouraged me,” a 54-year-old volunteer told the daily Mainichi, saying he was not convinced by the apology of the boss of Tokyo-2020.
This controversy is a new thorn in the side of the organizers of the Games, while more than 80% of the Japanese population is opposed to their holding this summer, according to several polls.
Mr. Mori, known to have already committed many blunders especially when he was Prime Minister, had also caused another controversy earlier this week by claiming that the Tokyo Olympics would be held this summer “whatever happens” concerning the evolution of the health crisis in the world.
A member of the board of directors of the Japanese rugby federation, of which he is the former president, felt personally targeted by his remarks about women.
When Mr. Mori was in charge, “I was the only woman,” Yuko Inazawa told the Asahi daily on Friday. “I had no idea then that he thought my opinions were a nuisance.”