With just five months and six days to go until the Olympic opening ceremony, large parts of Japan are still under a state of emergency, and the first vaccine has only just been approved for use here.

As if those weren’t big enough challenges to overcome, the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee was plunged into scandal earlier this month after its president, Yoshiro Mori, suggested that women talk too much in board meetings, leading to his eventual resignation.

Tokyo Olympics Chief Apologizes for Remarks Demeaning Women  (Motoko Rich, The New York Times)

Tokyo Olympics Chief Resigns Over Sexist Comments (Motoko Rich, The New York Times)

Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto eyed as next Tokyo Games chief (Ryusei Takahashi, The Japan Times)

Activists demand reform after Tokyo Olympic sexism furor (AFP-Jiji via The Japan Times)

How 'indispensable' Mori came to enjoy huge influence in politics and sport (Eric Johnston, The Japan Times)

Motoko Rich: Twitter | Articles

Oscar Boyd: Twitter | Articles | Instagram

Motoko at the Gender Symposium Japan 2021

Motoko Rich will be joining panelists from the Asahi Shimbun and New York Times on March 3, 2021, at 3 p.m  to discuss gender inequality in Japan and around the world, sharing stories to highlight challenges and progress. For more information and to register visit bit.ly/gender2021.

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Photo: A protester takes part in a rally against Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori outside the Olympic museum in Tokyo on Thursday. | AFP-JIJI