The Tokyo 2020 Olympic leaders on Sunday rejected claims they were a Japanese-only-speaking aging male club that went against the capital’s attempt to project a youthful image for the Games.
Former Prime Minister Yoshirō Mori, 76, said the absence of women on the organizing committee’s executive board would be rectified.
Mori, who initially rejected the role due to his age and has called the appointment his last act of public life, joked when he took the job about how many years he had left to live.
Mori spoke in Japanese, prompting questions whether that was the image Tokyo, which was awarded the Games in September for the second time after 1964, wanted to project.
“I was in second grade when the war (World War Two) ended and until then, English was considered the enemy’s language,” Mori said.
“If I should make a huge mistake by speaking English incorrectly, it could lead to problems,” said Mori, who is head of Japan’s rugby union association
Tokyo pitched a financially solid bid to revamp part of the city with the slogan “Discover Tomorrow” and the pledge to create a new generation of young Olympic fans in the sports-mad nation.
“Can you come to Japan and speak Japanese,” he asked a reporter, visibly annoyed by the questions on age and language.
“Many compliment me on my lack of (English-speaking) capacity,” said the former politician.
Tokyo 2020 leaders reject notion of old boys club
http://www.japantoday.com/smartphone/view/sports/tokyo-2020-leaders-reject-notion-of-old-boys-club
The Tokyo 2020 Olympic leaders on Sunday rejected claims they were a Japanese-only-speaking aging male club that went against the capital’s attempt to project a youthful image for the Games.
Former Prime Minister Yoshi Mori, 76, said the absence of women on the organizing committee’s executive board would be rectified.
“We will probably have 35-30 members on the executive board and we will take care to have female members and young people as well,” Tokyo 2020 President Mori, speaking in Japanese, told reporters.
Sitting either side of Mori, appointed last month, were 70-year-old former Bank of Japan deputy governor Toshiro Muto, the CEO of Tokyo 2020, and 66-year-old Tsunekazu Takeda, head of the Japanese Olympic Committee.
Mori, who initially rejected the role due to his age and has called the appointment his last act of public life, joked when he took the job about how many years he had left to live.
Mori and Muto spoke in Japanese, prompting questions whether that was the image Tokyo, which was awarded the Games in September for the second time after 1964, wanted to project.
“I was in second grade when the war (World War Two) ended and until then, English was considered the enemy’s language,” Mori said.
“If I should make a huge mistake by speaking English incorrectly, it could lead to problems,” said Mori, who is head of Japan’s rugby union association
Tokyo pitched a financially solid bid to revamp part of the city with the slogan “Discover Tomorrow” and the pledge to create a new generation of young Olympic fans in the sports-mad nation.
“Can you come to Japan and speak Japanese,” he asked a reporter, visibly annoyed by the questions on age and language.
“Many compliment me on my lack of (English-speaking) capacity,” said the former politician.
(c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014.
Japanese Prime Minister Mori was given some basic English conversation training before he visited Washington and met President Bill Clinton.
The instructor told Prime Minister Mori, “When you shake hands with President Clinton, please say ‘how are you’.
Then Mr. Clinton will say, ‘I am fine, and you?’
Now then you should say ‘me too’.
Afterwards we, translators, will do the work for you.’ ”
It looks quite simple, but the truth is…
When Mori met Clinton , he mistakenly said ‘who are you?’ (instead of ‘how are you?’)
Mr. Clinton was a bit shocked but still managed to react with humor: ‘Well, I’m Hillary’s husband, ha-ha…’
And Mori replied ‘me too, ha-ha.. .’
Then there was a long silence in the meeting room.
東京組織委の語学力に厳しい質問 森会長らがソチで会見
共同通信
２０２０年東京五輪・パラリンピック組織委員会が９日、ソチで記者会見し、森喜朗会長（７６）ら執行部が高齢で語学力に乏しいことなどについて厳しい質問を受けた。森氏は第２次大戦に触れ、英語は「敵国語だった」などと説明した。
英語力について、森氏は「昔はボール、ストライクも『よし』『駄目』と日本語を使わされて野球をやっていた。私の世代はよほど特別に勉強した方じゃないと外国語をよく理解しない」と話した。出席者からは「敵国語とは不快な表現だ」（英国人記者）「ジョークだと言えば笑い話で済んだが、そうではなかった」（米国人記者）と当惑する声が聞かれた。