Tokyo Olympics: Yet another scandal over sexist comments

A man and a woman stand with a backdrop of the Olympic rings floating in the water in the Odaiba section Thursday, March 18, 2021, in Tokyo. Tokyo Olympics creative director Hiroshi Sasaki is resigning after making demeaning comments about Naomi Watanabe, a well-known female celebrity. Sasaki who was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics told planning staff members last year that Watanabe could perform in the ceremony as an “Olympig.” (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

TOKYO (AP) — Tokyo Olympics director Hiroshi Sasaki has resigned after making demeaning comments about a well-known female celebrity in Japan.

It is yet another setback for the postponed games and another involving comment about women.

According to a press release, that Sasaki was resigning over an “inappropriate and highly regrettable” comment.

In February Yoshiro Moto, president of the organizing committee was forced to resign after sexist comments after saying women talk too much in meetings.

Sasaki was in charge of the opening and closing ceremonies for the Olympics, which open on July 23.

Last year he told planning staff members that well-known entertainer Naomi Watanabe could perform in the ceremony as an “Olympig.”

She is a heavy-set woman and “Olympig” was a play on the word “Olympic.”

According to the Japanese government, the Olympic Games will go ahead as planned despite the ongoing pandemic, The AP reported.