Despite sexism uproar, Tokyo Olympics chief finds high-level support

Stupid sycophants speaking up. Why am I not surprised.

Do me favour.

"Nothing good will come from replacing him," the source said.

The IOC said it had accepted Mori's apology and considered the matter closed, while the Tokyo organizing committee released a statement on Sunday saying Mori had retracted his comments and apologized.

The games still continue? Sponsors already made their concern now

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2021/02/09/national/tokyo-olympics-sponsors-mori/

There is something wrong with Japanese women.

In other countries, people like Mori would have been kicked out of office in 3 days after a public outcry.

But instead in Japan, he finds "understanding" among women he insulted.

Wake up and rise up, Japanese women! You don't have to be polite and take insult like this anymore like your grandmothers did.

If you don't rise up now and speak out your voice, then your daughters will face same injustice 20 years from now and nothing ever changes in Japan.

Personally i think people are just too sensitive these days. The guy said 1 wrong thing and people want to burn him at the stake. He apology already. I don't see the big deal with all of these large protests. Is like these days everyone constantly seek things to protest at and want to see chaos happen. What happen to compremise and being understanding? Is like we had to nitpick everything these days. I think we can all calm down and a breath.

I did not like what he said but i do not approve how people are reacting to this whole thing. I feel like we are being petty instead of getting along with each other as human beings.

@Samit Basu

You have a point there. History has shown that progress in societies have often come out of rebellion against the establishment, existing discriminatory rules and mindsets. Unless women and girls rise up en masse, change will take a much longer time to come. We have seen that in a number of countries passing up that opportunity and then suffering as a result.

...

@Hiro

The fact remains that he said it in the wake of a disagreement with the Governor of Tokyo, who is supposed to be the primary partner in the Olympic project. If that's how one treats a gender and/or a key partner in a project, then who needs enemies?

As for the matter of protesting, people have good reasons to be fed up with the statu quo when it has been crappy for a chunk of people. If things have to change, then the bad parts of the establishment have to be removed.

Lastly, we already said it before: Mori's "apology" can be nominated in the category of the Most Unsincere Apology of the Year award. There is no understanding to have with someone like that because he will not compromise; it's already written on the wall.

So who are you calling low level? Women?

@Samit

There is something wrong with Japanese women. In other countries, people like Mori would have been kicked out of office in 3 days after a public outcry. But instead in Japan, he finds "understanding" among women he insulted.

I do not think so. My significant other, all her friends, all the female in laws, and pretty much everyone I come across is disgusted by this. No where in this article or anything I have seen or read does it imply this.

@Simian

To a lot of old men, there is the idea that women talk too much. And that’s all this was

I am an old man and I do not feel this way at all. My point of view is that the old windbags in the LDP talk too much and get much too little of significance done.

I think the Tokyo Olympics are a dead issue. I pity the sponsors whose cash is being burned.

The diet is an organ for speech not a place to appeal in other mode.

what he said was wrong but people should also maybe try to be a little more tolerant and less easily triggered.

History has shown that progress in societies have often come out of rebellion against the establishment, existing discriminatory rules and mindsets. Unless women and girls rise up en masse, change will take a much longer time to come.

There's petition for Mori that but things in Japan just go as nothing happened.

chng.it/vDGNrdpf

"Nothing good will come from replacing him," the source said.

Has any thing good from his career in public service that has not been tainted by incompetence and self-serving cronyism?

@sakurasuki

I'm talking about taking action that directly goes to the face of lawmakers, either through protests or by voting members with Mori's mindset out of office in due time. It's up to the people to make the government fear them.

*mistake: The people should make the government afraid.

Mori simply pointed out that women have a tendency to talk too much at meetings. That’s not sexism. If he’d said men talk too much at board meetings, would he have been facing this much criticism?

Weak. I expected more from the female Japanese leadership on this matter. Instead, they've just set the table for the next 20 years of workplace inequality. Young women of today now know that their voice and opinion don't matter and will be silenced if they speak out of turn, or speak for too long.

The source, who declined to be named because of the sensitivity of the matter, said Mori still had strong support from Japan's government and the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

2 stupid entities with an incompetent buffoon leading each one. No surprise there. Japan and its people deserve much better than this

There are several studies showing that men talk more than women. Here are the top 3 results on Google when it comes to studies on the topic; there are more.

https://time.com/4837536/do-women-really-talk-more/

https://www.pnas.org/content/115/1/104/tab-figures-data

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/232560477_Interaction_Patterns_and_Themes_of_Male_Female_and_Mixed_Groups

Seriously, it's not surprising to read those now when one knows how the male-dominated Diet has been overall for years.

I think the Tokyo Olympics are a dead issue. I pity the sponsors whose cash is being burned.

You should pity the tax payers, As I'm sure the sponsors have get out clauses in the contract in the event of the olympics being cancelled and guess who pays them back, us, the tax payers.

By nature, women talk more than men. But in Japanese meetings, high ranking people have the priority to talk , or at least take a hardline and decisions if necessary, and high rankings are men. Lower ranking people, by culture, refrain more from their opinions and tend to talk less. Women for the most stay voluntarily below. Like Koike san, there are a few exceptions.

So who was Mori referring to ? Ladies chatting or foreign women who have more power, which he might not be used to ?

Anyway, he is a old man, should step down and gardening. Stepping in a good way will save his legacy ( on Wikipedia)

The real problem is that nobody wants to replace him. Mori San is the ideal President for the JOC and Organising Commitee. It is his last stand. The one who would replace him will see his /her career burned when the cancellation is announced. Or the Games become a virus disaster.

That is why he will remain as President.

The longer this stays on the front page, the greater possibility that he will be forced to resign. It's not only the Japanese that need to focus in on this, but the athletes and Olympic associations from abroad as well!

Time to turn the screws even harder! It's the ONLY way to force a change.

For those who are supporting Mori and wish to move on, I'm assuming that you understand the Japanese language and the culture and have seen his "apology" press briefing. If you understand then you know that apologizing in Japan means to bow deeply, Mori did not; he read from a prepared statement. Further, in the follow up questions from reporters, he was arrogant, cut off female reporters during their questions and didn't show any contrition. Let me ask you this, if he had said something derogatory about blacks or the handicapped would the IOC or even yourselves feel different? How are the women doctors, nurses and hospital staff supposed to feel about all this? Without them speaking up and working to the bone, there will be no Tokyo Olympics. No, don't rationalize for the old fart, he needs to go. If people say he's too valuable to let him go, then there in a nutshell is all the more reason why they shouldn't continue with the games, absolutely no risk / emergency management or mitigation system in place.

only Mori had the kind of clout to call up governors and ministers to pave the way for the postponed Games.

What does that say about the state of governance and transparency within high-level Japanese administration? If this is the case, then Japan - with such structural administrative rigidity -- never deserved to host the Games.

the committee reiterated its commitment to gender equality and diversity 

By retaining a bigot, with a long list of offensive remarks, on pragmatic grounds? What kind of "commitment" is that?

All support for Mori. Free speech is a basic human right.

He spoke freely, Nobody prevented him in any way from uttering his obnoxious comment.

He's also free to suffer the consequences.

Free speech does not mean free from consequence.

It behooves us at why this 'amakudari' system would even consider and give this position to Mori. WHY? Gaffe after gaffe, it is very shameful. It seems obvious that Mori's staff is actually running the office but the 'talking head' is just that...A dumb talking head. C'mon man, dont let this happen again! Japan needs to move away from amakudari and have people who are qualified to run the show. Oh wait, that's malarkey! Wont happen????

The “uproar” is concentrated in woke western influenced media while the core of Japan is still practical in their understanding of humanity.

Let’s just give it up. The title says it ALL: “Despite sexism, Tokyo Olympics chief finds high-level support”.

The photo says it ALL.

For those wondering what the big deal is, women can understand the connotations of Mori's comments. We hear, "I don't really respect women's opinions." "Listening to women's opinions is a waste of my time." "I don't think this is the place for women." "Men are superior to women in the workplace."

There are even more "studies" that show the opposite. Everyone sees what they want to see.

Are they? it would be interesting if you could actually bring some of those references.

"Doubling-down" is not Japanese, but it's what they have always done to save face and hold on to their power and position with all its privileges and perks.

Mori and his category of old J-boys do not belong to this timeline but to the Neolithic.

People like him are the one that think women should stay silent and cook and foreigners are a joke.

Mori and people like him keep Japan stuck in the past and for sure the civilized world doesn’t have a good impression of all of this.

Some of you rightfully asked why women don’t do more rather than some soft protests.

If you lived long enough here you guys should know that sadly this kind of passive reaction is not only from women but from the population in general.

These people from childhood are indoctrinated to blindly obey and never question the superiors.

Japan needs a deep change in it’s feudal structure.

Whatever, I am boycotting the olympics, because of Mori and because of Covid-19 and the way the JP-Gov have handled it. I refuse to put my personal money in the pockets of these people.

Like Japanese men, these ladies are also the "yes" showa generation. Therefore, they will follow the men and not stick out.

Definitely agreed, there is something very wrong with Japanese women. I find it astonishing that expats would even consider them as partners in the first place and makes me feel something is seriously wrong with those types too.

That comment says much more about you than it does about Japanese women. Something wrong with people who paint an entire nation of women with one tiny brush.

As much as I despise Mori, by the way, I can see the resistance to booting him this close to the Olympics. It7s doubtful there will be any Olympics anyway, so it's all moot.

There are three qualities that can, and inevitably will result in blunders, fiasco, and ultimately collapse - territorialism, empire building and parochialism.

Paragraph after paragraph, sentence after sentence, this TR article reeks of all three.

No organization or business can contemplate survival around the ludicrous belief of/the indispensable nature/role of one person.

That is how Yoshiro Mori, octogenarian, has remained and continue pulling the political strings causing embarrassment through his arrogant behavior, his irrational exuberant misplaced self-belief, and the utter foolish acquiescent subservience's of those that report to Mori san.

The Government of Japan political hand-wringing is proof enough.

On Yoshiro Mori watch, his organization has lost control of the budget, has little or no published formal plan for covid-19 risk management. Worst of all Mori san, is an appalling communicator.

It is not just Mori san misstatements, but what possesses him to do so, the timing excruciating lacking any logic or judgement.

The Olympics are on despite evidence suggesting that a majority of people in Japan think they should be called off.

The bid was based on lies about the "ideal" summer weather in Tokyo and accompanied by islamophobic remarks against the runner-up, Istanbul.

The IOC condones the displacement of poor people for the sake of their single-purpose stadiums and Olympic "villages".

There's no reason anyone in charge will protect anything or anyone except their fellow fat cats' money.

I have no sympathy for women enablers who find themselves treated as inferior to men. They bring this on themselves by doing nothing or even supporting these vile bigots. The only way Mori will leave the Olympic committee is in a box.

Not surprised at all. Japanese government ojiisans support each other they all have the same sexist thinking. Others are puppets too afraid to speak up. haha

"There are several studies showing that men talk more than women. Here are the top 3 results on Google when it comes to studies on the topic; there are more."

There are even more "studies" that show the opposite. Everyone sees what they want to see.

This video has a good take on this issue. Sorry, it's in French but most people will get it. Watch till the end (skip the middle if you're bored).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOeORxjALNY

I have no sympathy for women enablers who find themselves treated as inferior to men. They bring this on themselves by doing nothing or even supporting these vile bigots

Yep spot on, judging by the non-response from women here and even women coming out supporting Mori, it's hard to feel sympathy towards Japanese women unfortunately..

I support Mori 100 %.

I thought the picture was of the Left Handers Club.

PenfoldToday 07:31 am JST

what he said was wrong but people should also maybe try to be a little more tolerant and less easily triggered.

I agree totally. Were is some tolernace for the man?

Stupid sycophants speaking up. Why am I not surprised.

This refers here to men, but an underlying factor is that lots of female politicians themselves are either celebrities, ex newsreaders (Koike included) and sportswomen (Hashimoto), or are daughters or grand-daughters of former PMs (Tanaka, Obuchi) or high ranking politicians (Noda). They are not women who've got an independent power base or as it happens, have forged a career by getting men to listen to them in meetings. They are not going to rock the boat.

There are male politicians for whom the above also applies, and dynasties are common in other countries, like the Bush family. However, it is especially so for female Japanese politicians.

Allow me to vote on the side that he can be forgiven, or at least retained until after the Olympics.

First, we have to make a decision here. Do females speak more than men? That's a dispute of fact. I know that some studies have purported to refute the idea that women speak 20000 (or 5000 depending on version) versus men's 7000 (or 2000) words a day, but I think many people would have at least anecdotal evidence that women speak more. At the very least Mori can be allowed to opine that women speak more.

Second is what do we do about it? This is a dispute of "law". Remember that Mori did not say that there shouldn't be women. He says that the rules should be changed to guarantee women (but also men) cannot waste too much time speaking. This is an inclusive approach - ultimately, more women is acceptable to him (at least he says).

What's so horrible about that?

robert maesToday 08:04 am JST

The real problem is that nobody wants to replace him. Mori San is the ideal President for the JOC and Organising Commitee. It is his last stand. The one who would replace him will see his /her career burned when the cancellation is announced. Or the Games become a virus disaster.

Two genuine possibilities.

JeffLeeToday 08:09 am JST

What does that say about the state of governance and transparency within high-level Japanese administration? If this is the case, then Japan - with such structural administrative rigidity -- never deserved to host the Games.

The reality is Connections Do Matter.

Despite sexism uproar, Tokyo Olympics chief finds high-level support

Surprising with the number of women at high level these days.

Wait, where are we?

@Kazuaki Shimazaki

The reality is Connections Do Matter

*Cronyism Does Matter (fixed it for ya)

Supporters of Suga government and ruling party LDP or sympathizer of Mori are trying to neutralize international criticism against Mori by sophistry.

Like photo of this article, opposition party protest Mori or discrimination.

Unfortunately, person "ruling" present Japan are people who tolerate and justify discrimination.

While this fellow must be quite capable at administrative tasks, he obviously needs to take a Dale Carnegie course.

Here's a poll on Yahoo Japan that has nearly half a million votes on whether Mori should resign. Yahoo is still very popular in Japan, where people like pages crammed with info. It is way more popular than change.org where the oft-quoted petition is.

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/polls/domestic/42114/result

I'm glad Mori has support. I'm glad the haters who are easily offended and want people's life's to be destroyed, don't get their wish granted.

Oh well, I guess Japan is the terrible country you always talked about because of one comment made by a super old guy.

There's no conclusive evidence on whether men or women talk more, but there are linguistic studies that suggest men talk more than women. Thinking Mori based his claim on scientific research would be giving him too much credit though.

The bigger problem here is that he said and later doubled down on his claim that women, because of a quality that he inherently (and, mostly likely, wrongly) sees as "feminine", make them less capable of taking on responsibilities in the workplace. This is where sexism goes from "triggering" people to causing actual harm. Mori makes decisions that affect many people's lives. If he decides that women should not be in higher positions, then that has an effect on individual women's career prospects and their well-being (and, by extension, people around them). Furthermore, if most positions of power are filled with bigots like him (which they are), half of the population's talent remains untapped.

I think this can be relatable for many of us in different settings. If you're a foreigner in Japan, how did you feel when you were refused accommodation because "foreigners are noisy" or "don't sort their trash"? Do such "observations" justify the landlord's decision to refuse you housing, which is a basic need?

I'd also go easy on the claim that there's something wrong with "Japanese women". I haven't met a woman who isn't outraged at this. The ones who are in positions of power are mostly there not in spite of sexism but because of the power structures that make up this society. They won't be the ones to rock the boat. The most prominent women, like Koike, only play the game to score political points.

The IOC is also found corrupt or obsolete. It's all about money that matters.

No wonder the IOC has continued to remain silent over human rights violations in China, the 2022 Games host.

There is something wrong with Japanese women.

In other countries, people like Mori would have been kicked out of office in 3 days after a public outcry.

Trump had survived for the full 4 year term despite his series of gaffe and bigotries, despite outcry and continuous campaigns both at home and overseas. Mori's case is terrible, but not at all unique.

If Mori has supportthen where are the cheering crowds?

There is something wrong with Japanese women.

isnt this worse?

Old fart is the epitomy of how this country is ruled, and by whom.

The IOC said it had accepted Mori's apology and considered the matter closed, while the Tokyo organizing committee released a statement on Sunday saying Mori had retracted his comments and apologized.

Once the knives of the intolerant Left come out there is no placating them. Apologies are not good enough and will never be accepted. Mori must be cancelled and banned from any form prominence ever again. So says the Book of Woke.

All support for Mori. Free speech is a basic human right.

Mori is too old、outdate, senile and a recalcitrant unapologetic buffoon. he need to retire.

dont anybody dare criticize my opinion of him, free speech and all !!!

@R.T.: All support for Mori. Free speech is a basic human right.

Stupidity too!

Every person, politician, celebrity, professional athlete, high profile figure, etc has said some things that were not popular and they regret. Some are just more public than others. If you say you haven't, you are lying. He apologized, so move on.

On the topic of this story, can anyone specifically identify ‘these women in the opposition’? (We’ve been to several websites and none of them are named specifically).

To be fair and honest, since Mori is getting so much press & support, shouldn’t They also be getting ‘equal time’ and recognized for their efforts?

@R.T. Free speech doesn't mean there are no consequences when you say something stupid.

Lucky this is not the US, otherwise they would have elected Mori president....

Mori must be cancelled and banned

He's a person of the past. Youth is the future, let them control their future. Old people should just retire quietly and let the young people determine their own future.

That's a lot of words that was written and said. A simple "it's all moot. There will be no Games" would've been sufficient.

What's so horrible about that?

That we're in the "age of outrage, everything's too offensive, we need to blow things way bigger and out of proportions.

The photo/headline combo for this article is quite misleading.

^ that comment has been removed by JT 3 times.

The photo says it ALL

The photo shows female opposition MPs wearing white in protest at Mori's misogynistic remarks.

White is the colour of the female emancipation movement.

The men in the photo are wearing white buttonholes, also in protest.

So what exactly is it that you think the photo says?

To those who say it's just words, remember that back when they bid for the Games, Abe told the world one of the biggest reasons was the symbolism of rebuilding after the Tohoku tsunami and nuclear disaster. (Not.) Suga has recently been banging the same drum, saying they symbolise overcoming Coronavirus. (Riiight, really). But if an old git in the top Games seat makes a sexist pronouncement to the world, then suddenly it's 'just talk' and we should not give it any weight. Okay then, so let's do the same for Abe and Suga's empty words, call them for what they are, and say okay, let's cancel the Games and the world can then get on with the important stuff, like tackling a global pandemic.

It is what it is. Since childhood I know girls talk more than boys. I just wish people just reconcile that there is a difference. And do not get offended.

Of course there are some quiet men and women. But majority of the time women talk more. As you g as children the little girls.

When I go out with my girlfriends we tend to talk of many various topics and things for hours. Whereas men can only tolerate it only up to a certain point.

There have psychologically studies about left and right brain etc... This topic does not need to be discussed any further. Those who got insulted by it will be the same people always looking for faults. There is that to.

In today’s world the new world is always looking for fault instead of changing it frkm within oneself so the world will be a prettier world to live in. The change should be from within instead of forcing people to change. Forcing people to do anything will create divisions.

@Chico3

Like Japanese men, these ladies are also the "yes" showa generation.

"These ladies" are protesting Mori.

Of COURSE he still gets support! This is Japan, not a country that ranks higher than 120 out of some 144 countries or so in gender equality. Wouldn't be Japan if he didn't have the support of such an outwardly and inwardly sexist place.

The Yamato Nazis and the gaijins with sexually-transmitted Yellow Fever down-voting any criticism of Mori. Pathetic.

Dang all those Yamato Nazis downvoting against us expats on JT hey!

In your opinion though, which is the worse group, the "Yamato Nazis" or the "Yellow Fevered expats" who have the gall to mingle with Japanese people? Also, what you reckon should be done about them, do you have any good final solutions to propose?

Nothing will ever change for them.

The only major changes in Japan were forced by the outside.

So stay assured that this won’t end any time soon.

What Mori said is the opinion of a large majority of Oyaji.

Simply disgusting.

We all can as contributors have a debate about whether a women or a man dispels more words in a designated amount time at a meeting. The gender word count..

Or we can frankly address, openly and honestly the politically dysfunctional nature of gender politics in Japan.

So, what is it going to be?

Yes, @Ms Cleo, what one commenter has vainly tried to post clearly today is these women are opposition and not supporters. His point is photo is not misleading if you read the accompanying caption but, the print is small in comparison to the body of the story. We can all agree it s just ‘the position’ of these women that doesn’t match with what the author may have intended. If we mention Asada Mao, Ando Miki, ... people know who they are.

So, to ‘be fair to their political stance’, can we give them equal recognition here. If not, then, at first glance, it looks like “a PRK rally” “parading our lovely Flowers”.

I tend to agree with you itsonlyrockenroll.

But the problem is that we as expats in Japan have zero power,also we all know well that Japanese do not like to be told what to do from foreigners,even if they are right.

The things here are not runned by rational logic and equal rights but by passion,honour and stubbornness.

I seriously doubt that anything will slightly change about their system about human rights,gender equality,welfare etc.

Maybe in a hundred years or who knows.

For sure most or all of us won’t live enough to see such changes.

Cleo, has exerted/expressed a clear distinction between the two.

Yes.William77, no government will tolerate being dictated to, especially within the confines of a culture that has a clear strong social and cultural under- pinning.

I have been here, within my own family and have fallen on stony ground from my own misplaced concept, falling back on my own hafu political culture and UK upbringing. It send your audience into silence.

kohakuebisuToday  12:04 pm JST

Here's a poll on Yahoo Japan that has nearly half a million votes on whether Mori should resign. Yahoo is still very popular in Japan, where people like pages crammed with info. It is way more popular than change.org where the oft-quoted petition is.

90% of the 500K respondents to the Yahoo Japan poll want Mori to resign. Only 8.5% of respondents say resignation is not necessary.

@PerformingMonkey: Lucky this is not the US, otherwise they would have elected Mori president....

I don’t think you realize that the US is now completely opposite of what you think it is. Mori more likely would be tarred, feathered and run out of the country under a hail of opprobrium.

@Maria: It is what it is. Since childhood I know girls talk more than boys. I just wish people just reconcile that there is a difference. And do not get offended.

It’s just a fact that females are naturally better at socialization and communicating emotions in the aggregate than males. That’s not a stereotype- there are reams of studies over decades that back this up. The fact that there are differences between males and females has been understood for the entirety of human history - until now.

The way things are understood today is that in any comparison between groups of people one is considered the oppressor and the other the oppressed (in this case males and females respectively). If you are male it is acceptable in that direct comparison to be perceived not only as different but also as socially inferior. If you are female you cannot be considered different unless it demonstrates a superiority, a superpower, that females have over males. Once you understand that is how relationships are perceived nowadays it is easy to see how people are so easily offended by a commonly understood aspect of humanity. It takes more than a little bit of willful ignorance to quell the cognitive dissonance of such conflicted thinking.

In the case of Mori, we shouldn’t recoil in horror about the existence of differences but point out that it is irrelevant to his job. It should also be pointed out that although general differences exist, there are many individual exceptions.

Ironic that in this thread about Mori's sexist attitudes towards women, a comment that there is "something very wrong with Japanese women, and with any man who marries one" gets so many upvotes.

Confused?

Despite sexism uproar, Tokyo Olympics chief finds high-level support

And so he should. It is sad to see PC activism infiltrating Japan. He made a dumb remark and got bashed for it. Fair enough, and that should be the end of the story, instead of this silly brouhaha.