Woman athlete to replace sexist Games chief?

YOSHIRO Mori’s resignation as president of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee over sexist remarks is the latest blow for the Summer Games, already marred by an unprecedented delay and strong public opposition in the face of coronavirus fears.

The committee will ask Olympics Minister Seiko Hashimoto — a woman who competed in seven Games as a skater and a cyclist — to take the position, NHK reported.

“I am aware of the report, but the committee is an independent body that makes its own decision,” Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a regular news conference.

Earlier, NHK said the committee had narrowed its focus to one candidate during two days of meetings.

Born days before Japan hosted the 1964 summer games, Hashimoto is named after the Olympic flame and has lived up to her name by taking part in seven of the Games, both winter and summer, and in two sports.

A 56-year-old lawmaker of Japan’s ruling party, Hashimoto has served as the Olympics minister, doubling as minister for women’s empowerment since 2019.

At the committee’s first meeting on Tuesday, it agreed on five criteria for a new leader, such as a deep understanding of gender equality and diversity and the ability to attain those values during the Games, organizers said in a statement.

Earlier yesterday, the Games faced another potential setback, when the governor of the western prefecture of Shimane said the Olympic torch relay should be reconsidered because of the virus.

Governor Tatsuya Maruyama said he also opposed the holding of the Olympics, worried about infections.

“Should the present conditions continue, I think holding the Olympics should be avoided,” he said. The torch relay for the Tokyo Olympics is set to start in northeastern Fukushima on March 25.

Organizers have vowed to go ahead with the Games despite the pandemic. Polls have persistently shown most Japanese oppose holding the event this year.

Commuters admire the dazzling Shanghai skyline in a decorative wall at the Wuzhong Road Station of Metro Line 15. The new underground line began pilot operations in January, linking Minhang and the districts of Xuhui, Changning, Putuo and Baoshan. The 42-kilometer line, with 30 underground stations, features driverless technology. — Wang Rongjiang

Plum blossoms in Xinzhuang Plum Garden herald the coming of spring and attract large numbers of shutterbugs.

The garden grows thousands of plum trees in 30 species and is styled on traditional Chinese architecture. It was a popular site during the recent Spring Festival weeklong holiday. — Wen Xiaonuan

Spring Festival is supposed to be the most important holiday of the year, filled with family reunions, festive decorations and hopes for a better year. Notwithstandin setbacks this year and last from coronavirus, there are th who get no holiday at all. They work in jobs ensuring pub health and safety. Always at the forefront of holiday work force are police. Our staff reporters meet a few of them.