Meetings with women ‘take so much time,’ says Tokyo Olympics chief

Sexist remarks made by Tokyo Olympics chief Yoshiro Mori created a stir on social media leading to demands of his resignation. Amidst international pressure, Moris withdrew his remarks stating, “they were inappropriate and against the Olympic spirit.” He said, “I apologize and am remorseful for the remarks,” adding further that he has “no intention” to step down.

Mori, 83, on Wednesday said board meetings with a lot of women “take so much time,” in comments about a government initiative to increase the representation of female directors. “Women have a strong sense of competition,” and that is why “everyone speaks” so much, he added.

His remarks quickly gain domestic and international attention. Citizens of Japan took to social media to express their anger. Soon it was picked up in publications from The New York Times to The Washington Post and The Guardian.

“Definitely going to corner this guy at the breakfast buffet,” Hayley Wickenheiser, a Canadian IOC member, tweeted on Thursday.

“Yes, Mr. Mori, women can be concise. For example, to answer you, two words are sufficient: ‘Shut up’,” Nathalie Loiseau, a French politician currently serving as a Member of European Parliament, tweeted in French on Thursday.

Incidentally, Mori has a track record of making disparaging remarks. In 2000, when recalling a 1969 election win, he said: “When I was greeting farmers from my car, they all went into their homes. I felt like I had AIDS.” As prime minister of Japan (2000-2001), his cabinet approval rating plummeted to 9% after poorly handling a fatal collision between a Japanese fishing vessel and a U.S. submarine.

In an interview with the Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun, Mori stressed that he had “no intention to disparage women,” but suggested that he would resign if public calls grow for him to be ousted.

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