Yoshiro Mori, the chief of Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics Organising Committee, will reportedly resign on Friday over his sexist remarks which drew criticism in Japan and various other countries.
After his decision, the organizing committee has sent an offer to Saburo Kawabuchi, former chairman of the Japan Football Association, to come aboard as the successor to Mori.
Mori, an 83-year-old former prime minister, has come under increasing pressure after he had said last week that womenoo much in meetings.
“When you increase the number of female executive members, if their speaking time isn’t restricted to a certain extent, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying,” he had reportedly told members of the Japanese Olympic Committee.
Mori will offer his resignation at an ad hoc meeting of Tokyo 2020 executive board members and councilors slated for Friday.
Meanwhile, sponsor of the showpiece event — Toyota, on Wednesday issued a statement by its president Akio Toyoda saying: “It’s very regrettable that the comments made by the leader of the organising committee differ from the values that Toyota holds.”