Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said Monday that sexist remarks by Olympic chief Yoshiro Mori are not in line with Japan's national interests, but stopped short of saying he should resign, even as a poll over the weekend found about 60% of people in Japan believe Mori is "not qualified" for the top job.
During a debate at the Lower House Budget Committee, Suga said Mori's comments last week that women talk too much at meetings were "not desirable for national interests."
But when an opposition party lawmaker asked Suga to push Mori to step down after a wave of criticism both at home and abroad, Suga declined to insert himself into the controversy and insisted that it is not up to him to decide Mori’s fate.