Tokyo governor says Olympics facing ‘major issue’ after Mori’s sexist remarks

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said on Friday the Olympic Games were facing a “major issue” after the head of the organising committee made sexist remarks, with criticism of his comments showing no sign of abating.

Yoshiro Mori, 83, set off a firestorm on social media both at home and abroad this week with comments that women talked too much, remarks made in a meeting with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) that he later retracted and apologised for but refused to resign over.

The row casts an additional shadow over the Tokyo Games, postponed for a year due to the coronavirus pandemic, especially with less than half a year left before the opening ceremony.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday Mori’s apology had settled the issue, but criticism of Mori, a former Japanese prime minister, continued on Friday.

“The mission of the metropolis and the organising committee is to prepare for a safe and secure Games, and we are facing a major issue,” Koike said.

She also said she’d heard the Tokyo government was fielding complaint calls from city residents.

via Reuters