It is yet another setback for the postponed games and another involving comments about women. The Olympics are to open in just over four months, dogged by the pandemic, record costs, and numerous scandals.
Two years ago, the head of the Japanese Olympic Committee Tsunekazu Takeda was also forced to step down in a bribery scandal connected to vote-buying involving International Olympic Committee members. Watanabe is a heavy-set woman and very famous in Japan, and "Olympig" was a play on the word "Olympic."
"For Ms. Naomi Watanabe, my idea and comments are a big insult. And it is unforgivable," Sasaki said. "I offer my deepest regrets and apologize from the depth of my heart to her, and those who may have been offended by this."Hashimoto, who replaced Mori, was scheduled to speak later on Thursday.
Japan is a society with very high moral standard. We are not in position to comment at all.