Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Plans are afoot to create a bust of former Prime Minister MORI Yoshiro to acknowledge his contribution to Japanese sports, Japanese media have been reporting.

Mori, 85, was the original chairman of the Organizing Committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and President of Japan’s Rugby Football Union as it campaigned to host the Rugby World Cup, which it eventually hosted in 2019. He was a vital link between sports and the government in the hosting of the Rugby World Cup and the Olympics.

However, he had to step down as head of Tokyo’s Olympic Organizing Committee after making controversial remarks about women. He is also being investigated in connection with payments made to Olympic sponsor Aoki.

Nevertheless, the 3 million yen bust, according to the Asahi newspaper, is intended to pay tribute to the contribution that the former Prime Minister made for the success of the Rugby World Cup in 2019, and for his contributions to the success of the  Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.