The President of the Tokyo Olympics Organising Committee, Yoshiro Mori, has sparked outrage after saying that women do not belong on committees because they talk too much.
Mori, a former Japanese Prime Minister, made the comments at a meeting on Wednesday. According to the Financial Times, Mori made the comments in an online meeting to discuss a proposal to increase the number of female directors of the Japanese Olympic Committee. Reflecting on his experiences at the Japan Rugby Football Union, he said women make meetings carry on too long.
‘It takes twice as long. Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one raises her hand to speak then all the others feel they have to do the same. So it ends up with everybody talking,’ Mori was quoted as saying.
Mori has subsequently apologised for the remarks but has refused to step down from his position.
Mori’s comments are another blow to the Tokyo Olympics, which have already been postponed from last year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. There have also been allegations of corruption in the bidding process, along with cost overruns. An opinion poll found that 80% of Japanese people want the event postponed again or cancelled outright.
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