Mori Tokyo Olympics Organizing Committee Chairman Apology for Controversy for Remarks of’Disrespect for Women’ (Comprehensive)

Sending time2021-02-04 15:12


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Anger spreads over remarks, “If more female directors increase, it takes longer meetings”

Mori “reflects deeply” while apologizing but rejecting request

(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Park Se-jin and Kim Ho-joon = Even if a new coronavirus infection (Corona 19) is successful, the possibility of a “half competition” due to crowd restrictions has increased, adding to the bad news for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games.

This is because Yoshiro Mori, 83, who is leading the event, has suddenly raised discrimination against women by the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Organizing Committee Chairman (Japanese name is the president), and even voices demanding his resignation are coming from both inside and outside Japan.

According to Kyodo News, Chairman Mori said at the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) temporary council meeting held on the afternoon of the 3rd, referring to the issue of increasing the number of female directors, “a board of directors with many women takes time.”

At this meeting, with 51 people, including online participants, the goal was to set the ratio of female JOC directors to more than 40%.

Currently, there are 25 JOC directors, of which 20% or 5 are women.

Yoshiro Mori is chairman of the organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games. [EPA=연합뉴스 자료사진]

Yoshiro Mori is chairman of the organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games. [EPA=연합뉴스 자료사진]

In a greeting at the end of this meeting, which was published in the media, Chairman Mori cited the increasing number of female directors in the Japan Rugby Association, where he served as president and honorary chairman. It takes time,” he said.

He added, “Women have a strong sense of competition. If someone raises their hand and speaks, they seem to think that they have to speak,” he added. “So everyone will speak.”

In the meantime, some say that if the number of female directors is increased, the speaking time must be regulated to some extent, and if not, the meeting will seldom end and it will be difficult.

It is known that there was an atmosphere of joking, such as a sound of laughter at the conference hall when Chairman Mori spoke about the problem.

However, the situation became serious as Japanese and foreign media raised issues and comments urging him to resign in the internet space.

The Tokyo Shimbun said, “The remarks of the chief executive officer of the sports festival inviting athletes from all over the world to be suspicious to hear,” he pointed out that Chairman Mori’s “female contempt” is contrary to the Olympic spirit aiming for gender equality.

The newspaper reported that the remarks in question are expected to affect the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games, whose prospects for holding are uncertain due to Corona 19.

Five-ring sculpture of Tokyo Odaiba Marine Park. [AFP=연합뉴스 자료사진]

Five-ring sculpture of Tokyo Odaiba Marine Park. [AFP=연합뉴스 자료사진]

Foreign media have also joined the ranks of criticism.

The New York Times reported that Mori, who served as prime minister, said in an Internet version that there was a growing voice calling for resignation in the Internet space, saying that Mori, who served as prime minister, “is causing fierce anger,” and international news media such as AFP and Reuters also reported that Mori We introduced the controversy surrounding the chairman’s remarks on discrimination against women.

All-Japan Judo Association councilor Mizoguchi Noriko, a 52kg silver medalist for women’s judo at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, on Twitter, aimed at the remarks of Chairman Mori, saying,’If you do not limit the speaking time, the meeting will not end.’ It is not up to the hands of the meeting host,” he criticized, asking him to abandon gender prejudice and try to send messages to realize the spirit of the Olympics.

On the 4th, a rally was held at the entrance of the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) building in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo to protest Chairman Mori’s remarks.

As the controversy grew, Chairman Mori apologized for the remarks on the 4th, saying, “It was an inappropriate expression against the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympic Games. We deeply reflect.”

Chairman Mori drew a line, saying, “I have no intention of resigning” to questions related to his career.

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