Gaffe-prone Olympics minister Yoshitaka Sakurada apologized Wednesday for making comments he acknowledged "lacked consideration" for star Rikako Ikee's feelings following her leukemia diagnosis.
Sakurada, who is responsible for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, retracted comments he made a day earlier after the remarks quickly triggered a massive backlash from both the public and fellow politicians.
"She is a potential gold medalist, an athlete for whom we have great expectations. I'm really disappointed," Sakurada told reporters hours after the teenage swimming sensation revealed her illness Tuesday.