Feb 07 (Japan Today) - A petition calling for action against Yoshiro Mori, head of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee who caused an uproar with sexist comments, gathered tens of thousands of signatures on Friday, a day after its launch by Japanese activists.
Mori, 83, set off a storm on social media at home and abroad by saying women talked too much, in remarks made in a meeting with the Japan Olympic Committee (JOC). He later retracted the comments and apologized but refused to resign.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) said on Thursday Mori's apology had settled the issue, but Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said the games were facing a "major issue".
Student activist Momoko Nojo, who leads a group called No Youth, No Japan, said she and other activists started the petition on Change.org to convey the public's anger to Mori.
By 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, the petition had received more than 110,000 signatures.
"The Olympics is an international event, and he is the top person representing Japan. It is not right for him to make such remarks, and for everyone to let it go by saying 'Oh well, he's a grandpa'. If there are people who say it is wrong, if they think it is wrong, we have to voice it," Nojo said.
The petition calls on the JOC to take action against Mori, although it stops short of calling for his removal. Nojo said the incident had angered many people in Japan and reflected wider societal problems.
