Olympics minister Hashimoto eyed as replacement for outgoing Tokyo 2020 president Mori – The Mainichi – The Mainichi

Olympic minister Seiko Hashimoto is seen heading to a Cabinet meeting at the prime minister's office in Tokyo on Feb. 12, 2021. (Mainichi/Kan Takeuchi)

TOKYO -- Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto has surfaced as a candidate to succeed Yoshiro Mori as president of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games following Mori's announcement of his resignation on Feb. 12 over sexist remarks, multiple sources have disclosed.

From the perspective of gender equality, officials had suggested a woman should be chosen as the new president of the committee. During her career as an athlete, Hashimoto, 56, took part in both the summer and winter Olympics a total of seven times in speed skating and cycling, and also previously served as vice president of the Japanese Olympic Committee.

Sources said that since it would be viewed as problematic in terms of governance for a person to serve both as a Cabinet minister and as head of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, if Hashimoto became the organizing committee president, it is highly likely she would leave her ministerial post.

Tamayo Marukawa, who previously served as Olympics minister from 2016 to 2017, has been eyed as a possible candidate to replace Hashimoto in the Cabinet.

(Japanese original by Yuta Kobayashi and Akira Matsumoto, Sports News Department)

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