Just weeks after the head of the Games made derogatory remarks about women, the creative director for Tokyo’s Olympic celebrations resigned to suggest a female comedian appear as a pig. Hiroshi Sasaki announced his decision on Wednesday after presenting a report that Naomi Watanabe, a well-known celebrity and plus-size model, appears as an “Olympig” wearing pig’s ears at the opening ceremony. This is just the latest headache for the coronovirus-delayed Tokyo Games, which have been struggling for public support mid-pandemic and were upset last month by former chief Yoshiro Mori’s sexist comments.
In a statement released on Thursday morning, Sasaki apologized to Watanabe and said that he understood that his suggestion was inappropriate.
“My view would be a huge insult to Ms. Naomi Watanabe. It cannot be withdrawn,” he said.
He said, “I regret this from the bottom of my heart, and I apologize to him and all those who felt uncomfortable over it.”
Tokyo Olympic chief Seiko Hashimoto, who replaced Mori last month, told reporters that he was “surprised” by Sasaki’s remarks.
“It’s very unfair to joke about the appearance,” Hashimoto said, adding that she would work to replace Sasaki quickly.
The scandal erupted on Wednesday evening, when a local magazine reported that Sasaki suggested to colleagues last year that Watanabe could be drafted as an “Olympig”.
The offer made in the group chat was immediately rejected by Sasaki’s colleagues, who described him as inappropriate.
‘Should never be’
Sasaki was initially assigned to take responsibility for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Paralympics, but became the creative director for the Olympic extravaganza in December.
Watanabe is a well-known figure in Japan, and is known to international fans thanks to an appearance in the makeover show “Queen Eye”.
The comedian and model, who promotes products ranging from clothing to skincare, has more than nine million followers on Instagram.
He is one of the few prominent plus-size figures among Japan’s celebrities, and has faced outrage in the past. She has not yet commented in the latest line.
The incident comes after a sensitive time for the Games, when former Tokyo 2020 chief Mori said that women talk too much in meetings.
With former Olympic minister Hashimoto appointing his successor, Mori stepped down, but the scandal was detrimental to the organizers, who have now moved to improve gender balance on their board.
Hashimoto said he spoke to the International Olympic Committee after the story broke yesterday and they were “quite worried”.
“This kind of problem should never happen,” she said.
Japan’s government also weighed in on the row, calling Sasaki’s suggestion “completely inappropriate” with Deputy Spokesperson Naoki Okada.
It is the latest in a series of public relations-failures for the Olympics, with a plagiarism row over the Games’ original logo and a $ 2 billion design for the main stadium, which was later scaled back.
In 2019, Japan’s Olympic Committee chief Tsunekazu Takeda stepped down following allegations made by French magistrates of $ 2.3 million in payments made before and after Tokyo.
Organizers are facing public skepticism when the Games are held this year, and this is due to important decisions on whether foreign fans are allowed to attend.
He is expected to make a broad announcement next week that foreign audiences will be barred, with a limit on domestic fans still to be set.
Promoted
But organizers say the games can still go ahead, and have released a series of rulebooks they say will ensure virus protection.
The Olympic Torch Relay is due to close on March 25, although spectators are barred from the launch ceremony and the first leg, which is prohibited from cheering and crowding elsewhere, with lining the route, and required to wear masks .
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