TOKYO (JAPAN) – Japan’s Fuji Network News said on Saturday that the Tokyo Olympic Organising Committee is slated to bring in 11 more women on to its board while expanding its panel to 45 from 35.
This comes after comments made by Seiko Hashimoto, head of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, on Wednesday stressing the goal for women to comprise 40% of the board.
The committee is now in the last stage of decision making, said the broadcaster. There were local media reports that the new members will include former Olympians and those hailing from athletics and academics.
At present, women account for just seven, or 20% of the 34 places on the board. The new appointments would take their share to 40%.
Hashimoto came as the replacement of 83-year-old former prime minister Yoshiro Mori last week after he stepped down amid a furore over certain sexist comments about women.