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MELBOURNE: Japanese tennis superstar Naomi Osaka on Saturday (February 6) criticized “ignorant” comments from the main organizer of the Tokyo Olympics after a dispute over sexism that has sparked backlash and calls for his resignation.
Osaka, one of the main faces of the Games in her home country, joined the growing criticism of former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, 83, after he complained that women talk for too long in meetings. .
Mori, prone to mistakes, apologized but refused to resign and tried to justify his comments by explaining that he does not “talk much to women”.
“I feel like it was a really ignorant statement,” Osaka, 23, said, referring to the original statements.
“I think someone who makes comments like that needs to have more knowledge of what they are talking about.”
Osaka, the world’s highest-earning female athlete, emerged as a powerful voice on social issues last year when she wore masks to highlight victims of racism and police brutality at the US Open.
“I also want to hear the reasoning behind those comments,” the three-time Grand Slam winner said, ahead of the Australian Open in Melbourne, a tournament she won in 2019.
“I also want to hear the perspective of everyone around him.”
READ: Mori’s ‘astonishing’ comments show the system needs a shakeup, says WST director
Olympic medalists, Japanese sports officials and Games volunteers have lined up to lash out at Mori, while the Tokyo governor said the comments left her “speechless.”
The Japanese daily Asahi Shimbun called for Mori’s resignation in an editorial, and an online campaign urging his dismissal has attracted more than 108,000 signatures, including that of Grammy-winning musician Ryuichi Sakamoto.
The Mainichi Shimbun reported Saturday that Mori had considered resigning in the wake of criticism, but was dissuaded.
“From the beginning, I do not regret the presidency,” Mori told the newspaper.
“I had once decided to resign, but held back after being strongly convinced” by Tokyo 2020 officials, he added.
Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori has apologized for his comments. (Photo: AFP / Kim Kyung-Hoon)
“WHAT HE SAID WAS NOT CORRECT”
Despite the uproar, the International Olympic Committee said Thursday it considered the issue “closed” after Mori’s apology.
Osaka stopped short of asking for his resignation, but said he should be made to understand why he has caused so much offense.
“I’m not sure if this is a situation where someone should demand his resignation or if it is something that people need to make him understand that what he said was not correct,” she said.
Mori is also a former president of the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), and Yuko Inazawa, a member of the JRFU board, told Japanese media on Friday that she believed his comments were directed at her.
READ: Tokyo Governor Says Olympics Face ‘Major Issue’ After Mori’s Remarks
Japan ranks high on a variety of international indicators, but continues to lag behind in promoting gender equality, ranking 121st out of 153 countries surveyed in the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Global Gender Gap Report.
The dispute is the latest headache for organizers already battling public unease over the postponed Games, and polls show that more than 80 percent of Japanese are opposed to holding the event this summer with the pandemic of COVID-19 still in full swing.
Mori, who has a history of controversial comments, had already drawn criticism earlier in the week by insisting that the Games would take place “no matter how the coronavirus (pandemic) evolves.”
Osaka said she was still willing to compete in the Games, which start in July, but added that public approval was crucial for them to go ahead.
