Olympic boss apologises after insisting ‘meetings with women take longer’
Olympics chief is under pressure to resign after claiming “annoying” women executives drag board meetings out by talking too much.
Yoshiro Mori faced a grilling by his government’s female Olympics minister after a backlash following his remarks.
The former prime minister, 83, made his remarks to the games’ organising committee.
It currently has five female and 19 male members, but has a goal of adding more women.
Mr Mori said: “Women have a strong sense of rivalry. If one raises her hand to speak, all the others feel the need to speak, too. Everyone saying something.”
After a backlash he dug himself deeper by telling a Tokyo paper: “If we increase female board members, we have to make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat.
“They have difficulty finishing, which is annoying.We have about seven women at the organising committee, but everyone understands their place.”
Last night he faced an awkward meeting with Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto. She vowed to have “thorough disJAPAN’S ends up cussions” with Mori, who apologised for the gaffes but refused to resign. She added: “The Olympics’ fundamental principle is to promote women’s advancement in sport.”
Kaori Yamaguchi, a Japan Olympic committee director who has campaigned to raise the number of women in sports, said: “Gender equality and consideration for people with disabilities were supposed to be a given for the Tokyo Games.” Mr Mori said: “Last night, my wife gave me a thorough scolding. She said, ‘I’m going to have to suffer again because you’ve antagonised women.’ “This morning, my daughter and granddaughter scolded me as well.” Asked again yesterday whether he thought women speak too much, he said: “I don’t listen to women that much lately so I don’t know”.