Hiroshi Sasaki (66), the creative director who oversees the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, announced his resignation on the 17th. Bungei Online reported this day that he was devising a production plan that insulted the appearance of comedian Naomi Watanabe (33) who was scheduled to appear at the opening ceremony.

According to the article, Sasaki sent a production plan to transform Watanabe into a pig to LINE on the production team. He wrote “Olympig” on the pig and even used the pig pictogram, but the team criticized it and was forced to withdraw.

The Organizing Committee announced Mr. Sasaki’s apology at midnight on the 17th. The document read: “I am very sorry for the members who are dying to prepare for the opening and closing ceremony of the Para Olímpico, which is approaching the few months. I just called President Hashimoto to resign. Mr. Watanabe, no. I don’t think I can apologize. “

The issue of discrimination at the top of the opening and closing ceremony was discovered just a month after the problem of former president Yoshiro Mori, who resigned after taking responsibility for female disdain. According to people familiar with the matter, the Organizing Committee discussed the content of the article with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on this day. An executive of the organization, who responded to the interview, noted that “even pig pictograms are used, which leads to human rights problems and is more serious than when Mori was president. The IOC will not protect him.” In addition to that, he said: “The person must make a decision before being forced to resign.” President Seiko Hashimoto and Secretary General Toshiro Mutou will meet at noon on the 18th.

As the opening ceremony approaches, four months later, the person in charge of the opening and closing ceremony paled and said, “The opening and closing ceremony will be difficult” in an abnormal situation where the production of the ceremony.

Furthermore, Bunshun’s article said that he had taken control of the project from choreographer MIKIKO, who was the former director, but Sasaki denied that that point was “not true”.