Yoshiro Mori, former president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee Photo: Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool via AP
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Olympic organizers apologize to volunteers over Mori's remarks

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Why would anyone volunteer (work for free) for the IOC given the incredible amounts of money those fat cats are swimming in. These people should already be on payroll.

50 ( +51 / -1 )

One would think Olympic organizers have enough to worry about without having to cover this guy’s ignorant behavior. Better off with him gone.

27 ( +28 / -1 )

The Einsteins who appointed him in the first place should have realized the kind of attitudes held by most

83-year-old Japanese men, especially if they're LDP members, not mention Mori's own history of offensive remarks. I hope they apologized for making the wrong choice in choosing Mori.

38 ( +39 / -1 )

Empty apologies are not going to calm the volunteers, since there were no negative consequences for Mori it is obvious the whole committee consider him more important than what the opinion of the public.

33 ( +35 / -2 )

Tokyo Olympic organizers began emailing volunteers on Saturday to apologize and seek their continued cooperation in the wake of sexist remarks by the organizing committee president, former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori. Volunteers have not been immune to the turmoil caused by the 83-year-old Mori's comments. Some of the 30,000 additional Tokyo government-registered "City Cast" volunteers have submitted their resignations.

They only apologize because now they are starting to lost their cheap labor that will work for free. Otherwise they won't make additional apologize.

35 ( +37 / -2 )

Some of the 30,000 additional Tokyo government-registered "City Cast" volunteers have submitted their resignations.

How many? 2 or 3?

I think it is enough now with this matter.

Put your focus back on important matters.

There are much more bigger and serious problems according the Olympics or the vaccine or whatever....

*
-15 ( +6 / -21 )

I think it’s more a case of not what was said, but who said it. This guy is despised by Joe Public, but holds a prominent public position.

11 ( +14 / -3 )

Has Mori resigned, taken a pay cut or is donating his bloated salary to the homeless?

No?

Then, he is obviously not repentant...

27 ( +29 / -2 )

If organizers cannot remove Mori, then clearly the Japanese do not understand the concept of diversity and harmony and undeserving of the games in the first place.

24 ( +27 / -3 )

There's just a bit too much fuss about this. What Mori's remarks indicate is that he shouldn't be in any kind of executive position because his judgement is clouded and he is incapable of seeing past his fixed ideas.

Just quietly get rid of him.

15 ( +18 / -3 )

He needs to go, he couldn't last a year as PM so why should this be any different? Would it be treated differently if he made a racist remark or something denigrating against the handicapped? It's being poo pooed away because this took place in sexist Japan; it's par for the course and it's on full display to the world.

17 ( +17 / -0 )

This might be a bit of a controversial opinion, but I think he should stay. I don't agree with any of his remarks. However, nothing represents corporate Japan better than a rambling sexist and delusional nationalist past retirement age who takes no accountability. Changes need to be much deeper than replacing this guy with somebody who is better at PR.

-8 ( +9 / -17 )

Bow head. Rinse and repeat.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I agree with GrungeHamster.

Japanese, especially the older generation, are still back in the Stoneage when it comes to equality and diversity. They need to learn that a monogamous society such as their own cannot and will not survive in a new world order that demands acceptance of all races, colors, creeds, religion, etc.

Mori is a stunning example of an older generation that believes it can get away with discrimination.

Maybe this works in Japan, however, this kind of ignorance only serves to demoralize Japan's integrity, and as GrungeHamster states, is not deserving to be the host of an international community intolerant of such indifferences.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

We have a pandemic and we have a president of the organizing committee with a medieval attitude towards women. What else could go wrong?

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Just quietly get rid of him.

Unfortunately, easier said than done. He has tons of power and influence which is basically why he appointed himself the position years ago even after years as a failed politician. He is a spiteful creature that will give those that will make lives hell for those that try to give him the boot.

11 ( +11 / -0 )

Commence operation 'blame the volunteers for the cancellation of the Olympics'

14 ( +14 / -0 )

Those volunteers’ precious service may not be needed because in all likelihood the Games will not be held.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

Commence operation 'blame the volunteers for the cancellation of the Olympics'

bwahahahahahahahaha

I'm sure we'll at least see an article entitled "Olympics in a Pinch Due to Fewer Volunteers" or something along those lines.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

This guy is entitled to his opinion,

but I can't help but feel he has never been challenged.

He is so used to being enabled, what else can be expected?

It reminds me of the film "On Golden Pond".

A teenager is placed with an elderly couple, for the summer.

The old guy is boarish, and bossy, but the teenager calls him out on it,

and shows him some youthful points of view, which he has been closed off from.

Soon, they learn how to accept and work with each other, because they have to.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Perhaps all the female volunteers might want to reconsider giving up their free time for Mori's half-baked dream. After all, they may start gossiping and talking non-stop instead of helping out at the games.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

JeffLeeToday  07:04 am JST

The Einsteins who appointed him in the first place should have realized the kind of attitudes held by most 83-year-old Japanese men, especially if they're LDP members, not mention Mori's own history of offensive remarks. I hope they apologized for making the wrong choice in choosing Mori.

I keep wondering exactly who those Einsteins were.

5 ( +5 / -0 )

We don’t want to ‘pick on you’ for your opinion, but do you think his wife & daughter will get him to watch it?

@blue in green 10:03a JST “... *I feel he’s never been challenged,...used to being enabled,...reminds me of the film "On Golden Pond". The old guy is boarish, bossy, but a teenager ‘calls him out’ and shows him some youthful points of view. Soon, learn to accept & work with each other, because they have to*.”

They did him to ‘apologize’(?) but don’t think he even looks in the mirror, much less; reflects on his words, decisions and actions.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Just quietly get rid of him.

There is no way now. Well, if they come up with some medical excuse, then maybe, but it will always be connected to his comments, no matter the outcome!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

They need to learn that a monogamous society such as their own cannot and will not survive in a new world order that demands acceptance of all races, colors, creeds, religion, etc.

What new world order? Led by who?. China obviously didn't get your memo as they are gearing up to be the main world power.

Also a side note, do african countries also need to dump their monogamous society and ship in a bunch of asian and white people?

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee is, with respect, the wrong person, in a wrong place, in the wrong post, at the wrong time.

A pandemic, the costs, budget, spiraling  out of control, with a political establishment in denial, without the political will,  unable to tap Yoshiro Mori, president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee on the shoulder ,and politely persuade Yoshiro Mori to honorably step down for the sake of the Japan tax players and electorate. 

Suga san, step up, show leadership, and end this nonsense now

1 ( +2 / -1 )

First, I can't stand his comments. Let's get it out of the way. Through the years, he has insulted and embarrassed just about everyone on earth in one way or the other. Here is what they don't tell you.

Post-war, people in Hokuriku and Nihonkai know him well, were often 'hinted' to by their boss and neighbors that he is the 'right' choice to vote for (begrudgingly), and when he was young, he was even worse. Anyone who has lived in Nihonkai knows his style well. Cast from the same model as Kakuei Tanaka.

Yoshiro Mori was born in a truly awful time to be alive and a kid in Japan (1937), and still famous. He became a councilor and helped bring necessities to an impoverished and neglected Nihonkai area. He did a lot of slick work and arranged one military airport (Komatsu) controlled by the US to be transferred back to civilian use (shared now with the JSDF and reverted to civilian use from the US), and had another build on Noto. 

He planned, pushed, and got his way to pass and build Hokuriku Shinkansen. He was very powerful in the '70s through the '90s and is LDP, so no chance any charges or issues will stick. If you know the ranking of Ministries, a look at his resume will show you he didn't get there because he was an angel. 

Everyone over the age of 30 knows this very well. Most who know Mori's history were unhappy and disappointed he can't keep his trap shut but probably were not surprised at Mori's comments. They have heard them before.

Most people in Hokuriku have mixed feelings about him because his mouth and attitude, crass methods, and inability to say no or say sorry has been a staple of his Reign in Hokuriku since he was old enough to talk.

The rub is they don't care for him too much personally and call him "Yoshiroo!" with a tinge of disrespect but know well that he was much too rough around the edges. He makes most of anybody under 60 uncomfortable; everyone knows they would not have an airport, several large factories to employ the neglected Hokuriku area, and a Shinkansen (well used due to Komatsu's area Airport) and many infrastructure projects. Still, for them, it's the price to be paid. 

As he gains in years, for those who lived through being born on the wrong side of the island and were always very last on the list for anything the governed handed out or helped provide, will remember him for a lot, not all of it good, but he was the right man at the right time. 

He should have waved goodbye to, finally, when the Hokuriku Shinkansen was opened. Trust me, his comments and attitude were precisely the same the minute he was born and have only become worse every day.

If you read Japanese or can translate, here is his bio.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/森喜朗

2 ( +2 / -0 )

To those who want him to apologize and quit and then will consider volunteering, consider this;

Regardless of what he said, please continue to volunteer, and Japan can bring the people of the world to Japan, you have a chance to show the good and kind and modern side of Japan, and create a better Japan as then his comments will die with him.

Boycotting the comments just keeps him in he spotlight, something he enjoys. then Jaan will be remembered for his comments and not your volunteer work or lack of it.

Don't destroy the opportunity to so something wonderful because Mori said something stupid. Overpower his prejudice with kindness and compassion and a spirit of helping.

If you give up, he wins, you lose.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

I go through Toyama often, all of my kids were born in Toyama ken, but the area does not strike me as poor. Toyama and Fukui have Japan-leading rates of home ownership and the average house size is large, again by nationwide standards. Household income is in the middle on a prefecture basis, much higher than genuinely poor inaka like Tohoku. Hokuriku also has an expressway that is always deserted (massive loss making) and a now a Shinkansen of extremely dubious value. On the whole, I think they are doing pretty well.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Maybe those who resigned realize that the attendance may nit be as big as the original al plan since the places will not allow full audience. So why would you need more people to work the event.

I have asked my female

friends and they all agreed what he said was true. And my friends were executives.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

"We want to operate an event that aspires to realize a society where all our many differences are affirmed and accepted as natural,"

Not if you don't give Mori the boot you don't. You can't very well say you don't accept an environment of sexism on behalf of a sexist you allow to tell you what to do. I hope all the volunteers quit unless Mori resigns his position.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Mori should be apologizing to volunteers for his comments.

And he would be fired from any corporation.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

According to his latest comment, he maintains he was right about women talking too much but since he is so busy going to foreign countries he doesn’t have the time to explain how right he was, so he just retracted the comment because that was easier.

Feel sorry for the people having to apologize on behalf of this idiot.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The IOC should establish equality speaking time-limits for Board members. Mori-san’s comments can only be proven wrong if a rule applies equally to both men and women.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I don't see his comments as sexist as people say. Women talk more then men. But still unaceptable the reason he said that for in view of his position.

At the same time, thinking that at 83, one is fit to hold such position was the poorest decision. This medieval organization system that made such decision is the reason for such a mess.

The older life expectancy for Japanese, the more difficult it will become in a gerontocracy system.

It is not limited to Japan with example of Trump who lost his way.

There is a time for leadership and a time for providing advice.

Why do you think retirement exist for ?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Mike JamesToday  12:21 pm JST

First, I can't stand his comments. Let's get it out of the way. Through the years, he has insulted and embarrassed just about everyone on earth in one way or the other. Here is what they don't tell you.

Oh Yea? They don’t say it?

So how’d you just pass out a link to what they didn't say? 

I can't tell if it's sarcastic. Is it a sobb story? You want us to pity this guy?

Or maybe, it got paid for by Mori’s own Kano institute ( help myself to $1.3 million slice of the Tokyo bid committee budget) and single associate.

Then again… didn’t you guys just close shop for good? 

You are going to get some of that USD 1.3Million to the hard working volunteers he just trashed?

As, you know… a little yen trickle down off the blue pant leg. Or how about a Steak at Sugar’s?

I bet that day is coming soon… any day now ya? 

I gotta admit… you kinda had me going there for 1/2 a sec… what a hard hitting combo of an opening. 

Maybe you can't stand the rough talk but you're sure standing for the grift and the graft pretty good!

If you had any weight at all, you’d stop pretending he’s some anti-hero, of the less than fortunate.

“Oh, if we'd only look past his prickly cohones. You see It’s just he’s so old… he’s born this way… his wife has him on liquid diet since last week!! …one time he stood up for little guys in the country someplace… 

This isn’t about bad timing or some hard luck, boy in rags to rich goon story!

He's the victim. Yea right. Please, where haven’t I heard this kinda take before? 

Hate to tell ya, It’s not 1940 either.

This fossil-guy has a real attitude.. and worse. He’s one of them- say it with me now… Looting Does Pay! 

So do me a favor, stop preaching to volunteers about being wussies.

Stop telling them to forget about their rights to basic respect.

And give me a damn good reason they should vote for all the devils who aren’t angels just like back in hokuriku and nihonkai back in the 30s. Stop telling them to go on and take one for the boss and another one for the neighbor who loves this guy. And always never remember to forget…

these Looters Don’t ever want to Pay. 

Get him outta there. If he loses he loses. Nothing to do with volunteers or anyone else. End of story.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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