Advertisement
Japan
AsiaEast Asia

Ex-Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori under fire for another sexist remark

  • Mori, 83, said during a party that an employee who worked for a Japanese lawmaker was ‘too old to call a woman’
  • He stepped down as head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee last month after saying women talk too much

Reading Time:2 minutes
Why you can trust SCMP
Yoshiro Mori announced his resignation in February after making sexist remarks. Photo: ZUMA Wire/dpa
Kyodo
Former Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori, who resigned last month amid backlash over derogatory remarks toward women, may come under renewed criticism after saying on Friday that a female political staffer was “too old to call a woman”.
Advertisement

Mori, 83, directed the comment towards an employee of Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Takeo Kawamura.

“There’s an old lady in Mr Kawamura’s room. She’s too old to call a woman,” Mori, a former prime minister, said at a Tokyo party hosted by Kawamura.

Mori stepped down as head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee after coming under fire at home and abroad for saying meetings with women tend to “drag on” because they talk too much. He later apologised and retracted the remarks.

Seiko Hashimoto, a seven-time Olympian who was serving as Olympics minister, stepped in as Mori’s replacement, vowing to hold a games that is “welcomed by the people”.

Controversy has plagued the games, which already face difficulties related to precautions against Covid-19 and scepticism among the Japanese public with just months to go.

The Summer Games’ creative director, Hiroshi Sasaki, also resigned after it was revealed he had privately suggested plus-sized celebrity Naomi Watanabe dress as a pig for the opening ceremony.

Advertisement