Tokyo Olympics: Japanese composer quits over childhood bullying of disabled classmates
- Keigo Oyamada resigned from the creative team for the Games’ opening ceremony, in the latest scandal to rock the event
- In interviews published in the 1990s, he admitted he had bullied childhood classmates with disabilities ‘without any regrets’
Oyamada said in a Twitter post on Monday that his acceptance of the request to be part of the team was something that “lacked consideration to various people”, and that he had “offered [his] resignation to the organising committee”.
Games organisers said Oyamada’s part in the ceremony, a roughly four-minute composition to be played at the start, will not be used, with an alternative plan now being considered.
The organising committee said in a statement that while recognising Oyamada’s actions as “absolutely unacceptable”, they decided to have him stay in his post, taking into account his apology and the forthcoming games. But they said “this decision was wrong” and decided to accept his resignation.
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The well-known musician’s exit from the Games followed days of controversy over his confessions in magazines published in the 1990s, in which he boasted about bullying people including his classmates in his childhood. After his appointment was announced last Wednesday, his confessions from decades ago surfaced and calls for him to step down intensified.
