TOKYO (Reuters) – In just a week, the metamorphosis is over: former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori went from being a political asset seen as crucial to the success of the Tokyo Olympics to a threat threatening the outlook. was already cloudy for the Summer Games.
Mori, 83, is expected to step down on Friday as head of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee after apologizing for failing sexual comments out of the country and abroad.
The cause of criticism from athletes, supporters, volunteers, diplomats, the media and ordinary Japanese went into what one newspaper described as the “city mind” of Mori’s friendship, including the Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who hoped the apology would calm the controversy.
“His colleagues were trying to defend him, and if the criticism had not been solely in Japan, there might have been an excuse to work,” said independent political analyst Atsuo Ito. “But their views were global.”
The release of such a powerful figure reflects the determination of Japanese leaders to do whatever it takes to put the Games on stage, despite ongoing concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“The hope is that Japan will get it, that the powers will not be hard and deafening and that Japan will do what it takes,” said Successful Games, said Jesper Koll, senior adviser to WisdomTree Investments’ fund manager .
But the way Suga handled the relationship could further further public support he already had, as could Mori ‘s attempt to elect Saburo Kawabuchi, 84, who was president of the Japanese Football Association.
At a meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee on February 3, Mori said that women talk too much, causing talks to slow down. He apologized at first, but initially refused to retire and said “he hasn’t listened to women so long recently. ”
‘DOES NOT INCLUDE
Mori’s tenure as prime minister in 2000-2001 came to an end after a series of gaffes ranked him to single numbers. But still, the leader of the largest group in the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) controlled it.
Despite the uproar over what he said, Olympic and ruling party officials initially told Reuters that many were unwilling to oust Mori, who had a network of politicians and Olympic officials who were considered important to remove successful Games.
Suga has taken Mori ‘s comments irrelevant and said they did not deserve Japan’ s national interests, but did not call for his resignation.
“I don’t think they (governing politicians) will get the question about gender, its importance. Gender equality is very important but they take it lightly and focus on internal politics, ”said Machiko Osawa, a professor at Tokyo Women’s University.
Foreign media kept the issue public about the controversy and foreign diplomats supported gender equality on social media.
Twitter was ablaze with domestic and foreign criticism – tennis star Naomi Osaka called his comments “ignorant” – and an online petition calling for action against Mori received more than 140,000 signatures.
On Wednesday, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would not join a meeting of organizers with Mori as they would not send a “positive message”, and an earlier day the International Olympic Committee issued a statement criticizing comments Mori.
Mori’s fan, Kawabuchi – who was already “another grandfather” by some on social media – decided to turn down the post, Asahi newspaper reported Friday.
His election had kept the threat of controversy alive because the Japanese gender side is opposed to changing views. Japan ranked 121 out of 153 countries in the World Economic Forum’s 2020 gender gap report.
“They have the same values, I think that’s why he was chosen,” Osawa said of Kawabuchi and Mori. “It’s not just what it says, it’s a decision-making process. Women’s views should be given more respect. ”
Reciting with Linda Sieg. Edited by Gerry Doyle