Tokyo 2020 President Mori apologises but Tokyo residents angry with sexist remar.mp4

Published on 04-Feb-2021
Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori on Thursday (February 4) apologised for making sexist remarks about women, saying he retracted the comments and would not resign, despite calls for him to step down on social media.
The 83-year-old Mori, a former Japanese prime minister and head of the Tokyo organizing committee, acknowledged that his comments that women board members talked too much were "inappropriate" and against the Olympic spirit.
Mori made the sexist comments at a Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) board of trustees meeting this week, according to a report in the Asahi newspaper. "If we increase the number of female board members, we have to make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying," said Mori, according to the Asahi report.
In a hastily-called press briefing, Mori tried to explain himself, at first apologising, then later saying that he did not necessarily think that fretting over the number of women in high-ranking position was what was important.
"I don't know (whether women talk too long) because I haven't spoken to any women lately," Mori said, when asked by a reporter whether he had any basis for saying that women board members talked too much during meetings.
Mori's defiant response is unlikely to tamp down public criticism and anger over his comments is likely to further alienate a Japanese public that has grown wary of Tokyo's attempts to hold the Games during a pandemic.
Residents in Japan said they are angry with Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori for making sexist comments about women talking too much and called on him to resign.
"I was very angry that he simply put it in this way," said Miki Tonozuka.
"We no longer need Mr. Mori.... I feel like he's off from the current thinking in the world," said Kazunobu Shioya.
The JOC decided in 2019 to aim for more than 40 percent female members on the board, but there are just five women among the board's 24 members