Tokyo 2020 boss tells Japanese athletes not to 'mumble' anthem

"When you go up the podium, please do not be mumbling but sing the national anthem loudly,”

I'd rather listen to mumbling than absolute drivel from politicians.

Mori is a giant sack of manure, and nothing else. He has done NOTHING useful for society, and continues to do that very well. If he thinks HE is a true representative of Japan, then the athletes very well should 'mumble' the anthem.

I think Japanese people would sing the national anthem more enthusiastically if it wasn't so slow, sad and miserable. Surely one of the worst anthems out there

Yoshiro Mori - the gift that keeps on giving!

mori what an embarrassment to Japan & they keep him in the lime light when he should have been put out to pasture & OUT OF SIGHT at least 20yrs ago, take away his passport so he cant go to Rio otherwise he will embarrass Japan even more in all likely hood!!!

Athletes tell Mori to look like an athlete and not the main course of a grand Hawaiian luau!

served a short one-year stint as prime minister in 2000 to 2001, a tenure mostly remembered for a series of public blunders.

and how does this qualify him to be the Tokyo Olympics chief?

He has no authority to tell anyone what to do.

@dcog9065. My own country's (Australia) is the worst.... not one of ; ) but I think we generally take the whole anthem and flag thing too seriously.

@roosterman77: Yeah Australia's mine as well and I agree it's not that great. Wish it were Waltzing Matilda

When will this small minded individual disappear from public life? Being useless and a national embarrassment is not something which people take lightly. After the millions upon millions of dollars we have paid for doing nothing but damage our interests, please spare Japan the continual endless shame and indignity and show us one kindness: retire.

When you go up the podium, please do not be mumbling but sing the national anthem loudly

Don't think there's an Olympic requirement (or need) for gold medal winners to sing their country's anthem.

Athletes who cannot sing the anthem should not be considered to be Japan’s representatives

Get them to pledge allegiance every morning in schools. That seems to get the desired results.

Is that really Mori in the picture? If so he's certainly aged a lot. I wouldn't have recognised him.

As for Athletes who cannot sing the anthem should not be considered to be Japan’s representatives - they're there to run and jump and swim and throw things, not to sing. He must be thinking of Eurovision.

He also criticised Japan’s ice dance pairing, Cathy and Chris Reed, saying: “They live in the US. We let them be part of the Japanese team because they are not good enough (to represent the United States)”.

Ouch! That's the pep talk you need before representing your country at the Olympics (NOT)! Singing, or not, the national anthem is a very personal thing. Perso If the athlete gives his/her best on the pitch/track etc, he can do whatever he feels like before or after the game. Do the talking and show your passion for your sport and nation during the comp itself. (Joe Hart was pumped up before playing wales/Iceland, didn't go to well during the games did it).

Is Japanese Anthem still Kimi-ga-yo?