TOKYO (Reuters) – Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori apologized on Thursday for sexist comments about women talking too much, but said he would not resign as his statements sparked a storm of criticism on social media and took a risk contaminate public opinion about the Games.
Mori, 83, apologized at a press conference called in a hurry, but when asked if he really thought women talked too much, he said: “I don’t listen to women a lot lately, so I don’t know.”
The hashtag “Mori, please resign” was up on Twitter in Japan on Thursday and some users of the platform were calling on sponsors to pressure the Tokyo organizing committee to remove Mori from the main post.
Mori, whose term as prime minister was marked by a series of gaffes and serious errors, made the comments at a meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) board of trustees this week.
“If we increase the number of women on the council, we have to ensure that speaking time is a little restricted, they have a hard time ending, which is annoying,” said Mori, according to local media.
“We have about seven women on the organizing committee, but everyone understands their place.”
The JOC decided in 2019 to target more than 40 percent of female members on the board, but there are only five women among its 24 members.
Mori acknowledged that his comments were “inappropriate” and against the Olympic spirit.
“I feel a deep remorse and would like to retract my observations,” he told reporters.
Asked about Mori’s comments in parliament, Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said the comments should not have been made.
The Tokyo 2020 Olympics council would have to decide on Mori’s resignation, Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto said on Thursday, adding that Tokyo 2020 had sent an apology to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because of the comments of Mori.
Mori apologized and the IOC considers the matter “closed,” said an IOC spokesman in a statement sent to Reuters.
Japan persistently lags behind its peers in promoting gender equality, ranking 121st among 153 nations surveyed in the World Economic Forum’s 2020 global gender disparity report.
ERODE PUBLIC TRUST IN OLYMPICS
Mori is becoming Tokyo’s last responsibility for hosting the Olympics, critics say, complicating an event that was once postponed due to the global pandemic.
Nearly 80 percent of the Japanese public is opposed to the Summer Games as scheduled this year due to concerns about the coronavirus, recent research shows.
“It’s easy to see that his apology is reluctant, that he had no choice but to be under pressure,” said public relations consultant Keiko Ishikawa. “I think everyone can see that their remorse is not apparent. It didn’t really look like an apology. “
Yoko Shida, a professor of constitutional law at Musashino Art University, said Mori’s comments go against the spirit of the IOC and are unlikely to ease public concerns about the Games.
“This would normally justify a resignation,” said Shida.
Former judo champion Kaori Yamaguchi said the Olympic chief’s comments could further undermine confidence in the Tokyo Games.
“Given his position, it was very unfortunate – and the fact that he was sent to the world was not just an individual point of view, but it suggested to the world that the Japanese can still think that way,” she said before Mori’s Briefing On thursday.
Ordinary Japanese said they were surprised by Mori’s comments.
“At the end of the day, you can see from these comments that the world is men’s,” said Kyoko Kayashima, a 68-year-old woman. “I just thought it was disappointing.”
Renho, a prominent opposition lawmaker, said in a tweet that Mori’s comments were “shameful”.
Near the end of the briefing, Mori cut the questions.
Asked if he still considered himself qualified to head the Tokyo Olympics committee, Mori replied, “What do you think?”
Additional reporting by Ju-min Park, Elaine Lies, Chang-Ran Kim, Chris Gallagher and Akira Tomoshige, Jack Tarrant; Written by Mari Saito; Editing by Tom Hogue, Gerry Doyle, Michael Perry and Kim Coghill