TOKYO: Although Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic sponsor companies showed no surprise at Yoshiro Mori’s reported decision to resign as president of the summer games’ organizing committee over his sexist remarks, they remained upset over the possible impacts on the fate of the sporting events.

Among the sponsors, Japan Post Holdings Co.  released a statement Thursday saying Mori’s resignation is unavoidable because he said something that goes against the Olympic and Paralympic spirit.

Mori’s remarks suggesting that women talk too much at meetings came after sponsor companies, including those struggling financially amid the spread of the coronavirus, agreed to extend their sponsorship contracts for the Tokyo Games, which have been postponed by one year to summer 2021 due to the pandemic. The sponsors agreed to additionally provide a total of 22 billion yen for the postponed games although uncertainty prevails over whether the events can actually be held.

“The money we are providing is what our employees earned after each one of them worked very hard,” an official of another sponsor firm said, offering the view that Mori’s resignation would be inevitable to win the understanding of the company’s shareholders and employees over the extended sponsorship.

While some expressed hope that Mori’s resignation will help resolve the confusion over his gaffe, many remain concerned about the major challenge facing the Tokyo Games of holding the sporting events and ensuring infection control measures at the same time.

An official of one sponsor firm said, “We’re at a crucial time when all people concerned are proceeding with discussions and preparations for realizing safe and secure games,” Such efforts may be affected by the latest confusion in some form, the official added.

Meanwhile, some in the Japanese economic community said Mori’s resignation will not provide a complete solution to the problem posed by him.

These people stressed the need for Japan to demonstrate that the country is capable of achieving diversity, harmony and gender equality. They also claimed that the change of leadership would not ensure a dramatic shift of image and that the organizing committee and sponsor firms have to work together to restore trust.

Toyota Motor Corp., a top-tier sponsor of the Tokyo Games, said in a statement issued Wednesday under the name of President Akio Toyoda that Mori’s remarks “contradict the value that Toyota has prized and therefore are extremely regrettable,” joining other global companies in criticizing the Tokyo Games chief’s derogatory remarks about women, which were made at a meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee in Tokyo on Feb. 3.

On Thursday, Mori told people concerned of his plans to announce resignation at a meeting of the organizing committee on Friday to take responsibility for his remarks.

JIJI Press