(ATR) Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori will step down from his position on Friday, according to reports in the Japanese media.
The 83-year-old former Japanese prime minister has been at the center of protests for sexist comments he made during a meeting of the Japanese Olympic Committee on Feb. 3.
During a discussion about increasing the number of women in the leadership of the JOC, Mori objected, saying women talk too much and that when one woman raises her hand to speak "everyone ends up saying something".
He apologized at a hastily arranged press conference on Feb. 4 but said he was not considering resigning. Many in the public found his apology to be insincere.
The pressure on him has been mounting this week.
The IOC took the extraordinary step of issuing a public statement criticizing Mori for his comments. The Feb. 9 rebuke may be the first time the IOC has singled out the head of an Olympic organizing committee by name.
Major sponsors, including worldwide Olympic partner Toyota, have also criticized the comments.
On Wednesday, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike cited the sexist remarks for her decision not take part in the next meeting of the four-party group overseeing the coming Olympics and Paralympics. Besides Koike and Mori, the other members include IOC President Thomas Bach and Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto.
At the Japanese parliament, female members are protesting the remarks of Mori by wearing white.
Mori is expected to officially step down at a special Tokyo 2020 organizing committee executive meeting called for Friday.
According to Kyodo, Mori will be replaced by Saburo Kawabuchi, a former president of the Japan Football Association. Kawabuchi, 84, is currently the mayor of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Village and a councilor of the organizing committee.
Written by Gerard Farek
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