TOKYO – As the new head of the organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, Former President of the Japanese Football Association sees Saburo Kawabuchi see the upcoming games as an opportunity to lift people amid the global opposition flight the crown virus.
He will take over from Yoshiro Mori, who has decided to retire after his sexual comments last week sparking a global outcry and exodus of volunteers. The games also go against uncertainty in COVID-19, with Japan battling the third wave.
But Kawabuchi, who was originally slated to become mayor of the city of athletes, does not refuse a challenge. Formerly a footballer who represented the country at the 1964 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, he was instrumental in the creation of J-League, the Japanese professional football tour. He also oversaw a merger between two Japanese professional basketball leagues, resolving a conflict that led to Japan being suspended from international competition for a time.
“If I am formally elected to office through the appropriate channels, I would urge all of Japan to help us celebrate Olympics around the world,” he told Nikkei in a recent interview.
Edited excerpts from the interview follow.
Q: What made you accept the job?
A: I cannot officially say that I am still the chair. But Mr Mori had a problem after his comments, so I thought I had to support him, including the answer. My family was against it, but it felt like there was no other choice.
Q: How do you plan to lead?
A: Since we’re still not entirely sure if we can hold the games at all, I think our pandemic response is a No. 1 concern for most people. We have an overall responsibility to prevent escalation.
We present to the public a clearly scientifically supported plan on how we can avoid the spread of the virus, what we will ask of athletes and foreign spectators, and what we will do if we cannot to have a visual. By showing that we can keep the Olympics safe, we can ensure that athletes and the general public can enjoy the games.
Q: Will Mori remain on the organizing committee?
A: I have said that we need to keep Mr Mori in capacity so that we can consult with him. He knows everything about conversations in the past [International Olympic Committee President Thomas] Bach and the underlying issues behind problems. It would be hard for me to suddenly take control and negotiate when I don’t have that information. Mr Mori told me that he will certainly support me from a background.
Q: You have often been thanked for solving roles at key points in your life.
A: I thought my last big trip was the mayor of the city of athletes. I had no idea I would be in a situation like this. But I believe it’s like me dealing with challenge after challenge. I think the Olympics and Paralympics can be a bright place in the world of coronavirus plague today, and I hope to ask the people of Japan to help them with their success.