The Olympic Minister of Japan and the seven-time Olympian, Seiko Hashimoto, is seen as the best candidate to replace Yoshiro Mori. (Image via The Guardian)

Olympic Minister Hashimoto to replace Mori

The Olympic Minister of Japan, Seiko Hashimoto, is set to be the best candidate to win the seat of the president of the organizing committee to hold the postponed Tokyo Games in July. The position is currently vacant after Yoshiro Mori resigned from his post on Friday last week over his outrageous, sexist comment in early February that women talked too much.

The third session of the panel of the Tokyo Games committee will hold its second meeting in Tokyo on Thursday morning, chaired by the Chairman of Canon Inc, Fujio Mitarai. At the previous meeting on Tuesday, the panel agreed on five criteria for the new president, such as the experience to run the global stage and the understanding of the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic and its correlation with the preparation of the Summer Olympics.

It is most likely that they had asked Hashimoto to take the position. Should Hashimoto, the seven-time Olympian, decides to take the challenge, then the organizing committee will likely back her up as the new head.

Spoke to the reporters on Wednesday evening, the 56-year-old former Olympian and the lawmaker in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), refused to comment. She only said that the choice of candidates is under process, so she could not comment any further on the matter. In contrast, the people close to the matter revealed on Tuesday that actually, Hashimoto is not eager to helm the Tokyo Games' organizing committee. If she takes the job, then Hashimoto is required to step down from her seat as the Olympic Minister.

As an athlete, Hashimoto competed in seven Olympics in 1984 - 1996, four Winter Games, and three Summer Games. She became the first Japanese female athlete to win a medal when finishing third in women's 1,500-meter speed skating race at the 1992 Games in France. Hashimoto then began her political career in 1995 as the Minister of Gender Equality and Women's Empowerment.

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