“If there are a lot of women…” Female Chairman Biha Mori will eventually resign

The Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee Chairman Yoshiro Mori, who aroused controversy with remarks that “the board of directors with many women takes a long time” and “7 women of the organizing committee are not discerning” eventually resigns.

On the 11th, Japanese media reported that Mori had entered into a mediation in the direction of resigning. The Jiji news agency said that Chairman Mori conveyed his intention to “resign” to the organizing committee, and that it plans to make a final decision after consultation with executives such as the secretary general of the organizing committee Toshiro Muto. Chairman Mori is expected to express his gratitude at an emergency meeting held on the afternoon of the 12th.

Yoshiro Mori, chairman of the Tokyo Olympics, attended a press conference to explain the preparations for the Olympics in July last year. [로이터=연합뉴스]

The change in the domestic atmosphere, which had been leaning toward’reservation’, was largely influenced by the second statement released by the IOC on the 9th. Initially, the IOC said on the 4th, “The issue is over because Chairman Mori apologized.”

However, as the criticism of the global public was intensifying, it issued a new statement saying, “Chairman Mori’s remarks are completely inappropriate.” In Japan, this has begun to be accepted as a “de facto recommendation to resign” (a high-ranking government official).

Political circles, including the Liberal Democratic Party, also pressed for the voluntary resignation of Chairman Mori. Seiko Noda, acting secretary of the Liberal Democratic Party, who had an interview with Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga at the Prime Minister’s residence, held a press conference on the 10th and pressed for voluntary resignation, saying, “I hope you will clarify your direction.”

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike is raising his hand toward a reporter at a press conference related to Corona 19 last December. [교도=연합뉴스]

It was Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike who lit the fire. He expressed his intention to abstain from the four-party talks scheduled on the 17th (IOC Chairman Thomas Bach, Chairman Mori, Olympic Minister Hashimoto Seiko, Tokyo Governor Koike).

Provincial Governor Koike threw his criticism, saying, “Even if the four-party talks are held here now, it is unlikely that it will be a very positive message, so I will not attend.” There were observations that the ‘Mori pull-down’ started in earnest without the head of the Olympic host city expressing his intention to cooperate.

Toyota Motor Co., a major sponsor of the Tokyo Olympics, also gave a separate comment in the name of the president at a press conference on the 10th. “(Chairman Mori’s remarks) are different from Toyota’s important values ​​and regret it,” said Akio Toyota (豊田章男) through an executive. On the reason for the announcement of the comment, Toyota emphasized, “To convey what Toyota values ​​and how it sees the world, we should not be silent here.”

After all-round criticism and pressure to resign, Chairman Mori is expected to announce his resignation at an emergency meeting on the 12th. Initially, the meeting was set up as a place where Chairman Mori apologized again and expressed his intention to continue serving as chairman.

On the 7th, Japanese citizens hold brooms and hold a demonstration demanding the resignation of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee Chairman Yoshiro Mori. [아사히TV 화면캡처]

On the internet signing site change.org, 140,000 people participated in the signing request for Mori to review his resignation and prevent recurrence. Protest calls condemning Chairman Mori’s remarks flooded the organizing committee and Tokyo, and over 500 Olympic volunteers were notified of their resignation. The resignation of torch relay runners also lined up.

Tokyo = correspondent Yoon Seol-young [email protected]