Tokyo Olympic boss apologises over sexism row but insists he won't resign

Tokyo Olympics chief 'may have to resign' over derogatory comments on women

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  Tokyo Olympics chief 'may have to resign' over derogatory comments on women

  
  PA Media

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• Tokyo Olympics chief 'may have to resign' over derogatory comments on women The president of the organising committee of the Tokyo Olympics has apologised for making derogatory comments about women but acknowledged he "may have to resign". Yoshiro Mori, who is also a former prime minister of the country, was reported by Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun to have said during an online meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee board of directors that women talk too much in meetings. PA Media

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The boss of the Tokyo Olympics has apologised for his "careless remark" after being caught in a sexism row but insisted he would not resign.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, the head of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics organising committee, told the Japan Olympic Committee this week that meetings involving too many women "dragged on" because they talked too much.

He said: "Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one raises her hand to speak, all the others feel the need to speak too. Everyone ends up saying something.

"I heard somebody say that, if we were to increase the number of female board members, we have to regulate speaking time to some extent or else we'll never be able to finish. We have about seven women at the organising committee but everyone understands their place."

On Thursday, Mori issued a series of apologies. He told Kyodo News: "It was a careless remark and I want to express my apologies. I had no intention of discriminating against women."

And in a later press conference, he said: "I am not thinking of resigning. I have been working hard and devoted myself to helping [the Olympics] for seven years. I will not be stepping down."

He also admitted he had been castigated by members of his family for his remarks. He said: "My wife gave me a thorough scolding. She said, 'you've said something bad again haven't you? I'm not going to suffer again because you've antagonised women'. This morning, my daughter and granddaughter scolded me as well."