TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister SUGA Yoshihide refused Friday to demand that Yoshiro Mori resign as president of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics organizing committee over his sexist remarks.

In response to the opposition camp’s calls for Mori’s resignation at a House of Representatives Budget Committee meeting, Suga said that “the prime minister doesn’t have the authority” to replace him because the committee is a public interest corporation.

Reflecting Suga’s determination to help Mori, former prime minister, to stay on, Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato told a press conference that Mori’s resignation is “a matter that the organizing committee decides.”

At a separate news conference, Hiroshige Seko, secretary-general for ruling Liberal Democratic Party lawmakers in the House of Councilors, noted that Mori expressed remorse over, apologized for and withdrew the remarks Thursday and that he is “irreplaceable.”

At a Japanese Olympic Committee gathering Wednesday, Mori said, “Meetings of boards of directors with a lot of women take so much time.” He also made other contemptuous comments against women. 

The Suga administration is now trying to put an end to the scandal, after Mori withdrew the remarks and the International Olympic Committee offered the view that the issue is closed. Mori has developed close ties with IOC chief Thomas Bach.

Behind the administration’s move are concerns that if Mori resigns, it would cause confusion in preparations for the Tokyo Games, already in danger of not being held amid the coronavirus pandemic, people familiar with the situation said.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are stepping up their criticisms against Mori.

“The remarks are outrageous,” Kazuya Shinba, secretary-general of the Democratic Party for the People, said at the Lower House committee meeting, urging Mori to quit voluntarily.

Thursday’s press conference by Mori rather sparked widespread public backlash via social media, with many voicing displeasure at his arrogant attitude toward reporters.

The administration may come under fire for its refusal to sack Mori.

Seiji Osaka of the largest opposition Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan said Japanese people are believed to turn their back on the government over the issue.

“We have to watch public opinion,” a senior government official said. “Mori’s remarks may result in a quite serious consequence.”

In a related development on Friday, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike stopped short of clarifying her position on whether Mori should step down.

“What the metropolitan government is pursuing is a way to hold the Tokyo Games,” Koike said. “I think that the organizing committee’s decision on who is best to negotiate with the IOC is necessary.”

Prior to the day’s press conference, Koike said she was “at a loss for words” over Mori’s gaffe. Later, she said she received a phone call from Mori in which he said he was very sorry for what he said and withdrew his remarks.

According to a metropolitan government official, the Tokyo Games host government had received 542 phone calls and emails protesting the remarks as of Friday evening.

JIJI Press