Tokyo Olympic chief Mori to resign over sexist comments

Ex-soccer official Kawabuchi to take over as top organizer 5 months before Games

Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, has decided to step down from the position after his discriminatory comments about women sparked a global backlash. © Reuters

Nikkei staff writers

February 11, 2021 12:45 JST

Updated on February 11, 2021 19:28 JST

TOKYO -- Yoshiro Mori on Thursday decided to step down as head of the organizing committee for the Tokyo Olympics amid a furor at home and abroad over his recent discriminatory comments about women, Nikkei has learned.

The organizing committee extended an offer to Saburo Kawabuchi, an 84-year-old former chairman of the Japan Football Association, to succeed Mori, 83.