And Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike said she would not attend a meeting of high-level Olympic officials in protest.
According to local media, almost 400 people have also withdrawn applications to volunteer at the Olympic games, which are scheduled for later this year.
The committee board currently has 24 members, five of whom are women. In 2019, the committee – which is responsible for selecting Japanese Olympians – set itself a goal of increasing the number of female board directors to 40%.
“If we increase the number of female board members, we have to make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying,” Mori was quoted as saying.
“We have about seven women at the organising committee, but everyone understands their place.”
Mori is known in the country for undiplomatic statements made while in office from 2000 to 2001.
He told Japan’s Mainichi newspaper that female family members had also lambasted him after his comments.
“Last night, my…