Tokyo Olympics creative chief quits over pitch to dress plus-size celebrity as ‘Olympig’

Hiroshi Sasaki had suggested having fashion icon Naomi Watanabe descend from the sky in a ‘cute pink costume’ during the opening ceremony
His resignation is another blow to the Japanese organising committee, already reeling from the uproar following sexist remarks by ex-chief Yoshiro Mori

Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games

Kyodo

Published: 2:29am, 18 Mar 2021

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Hiroshi Sasaki, head creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, said early on Thursday that he would step down over a derogatory suggestion involving a popular female entertainer he made last year to some planning staff members.

In yet another setback for the Japanese organising committee of the Summer Games, Sasaki’s announcement came after weekly magazine Shukan Bunshun reported on Wednesday that he proposed last March an idea involving 33-year-old entertainer Naomi Watanabe, a plus-size fashion icon in Japan and abroad, coming down from the sky as a pig as part of the Olympic opening ceremony.

Sasaki, who is in charge of all four opening and closing ceremonies for the Tokyo Games, released a statement through the organising committee, apologising to Watanabe and admitting his proposal to a group of planning members through the messaging app Line at the time was supposed to be a play on the word “Olympic” with “Olympig”.

“There was a very inappropriate expression in my ideas and remarks,” the 66-year-old said. “I sincerely apologise to her and people who have felt discomfort with such contents.”

Sasaki, who formerly worked with Japan’s powerful advertising agency Dentsu Inc., said he retracted the idea after it was criticised by the members.

Before his announcement, a source with knowledge of the situation said that Seiko Hashimoto, president of the organising body, held emergency talks with an International Olympic Committee high-ranking official and discussed their response to the report, which was made available online on Wednesday, a day before the magazine hits news-stands.

The chief executive creative director of the games said he had phoned Hashimoto and offered his resignation.

His departure comes at a time when the Japanese organising committee is trying to improve its image, tainted by a recent sexism row triggered by its former chief.

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“I tend to joke often, so I said it just as something that slipped out of my mouth … (the idea of Watanabe) wearing a cute pink costume and sticking her tongue out as an ‘Olympig’. I thought that would make her look charming, but I was immediately reprimanded by male staff. I feel remorse,” Sasaki was quoted as saying by the magazine.

The scandal involving the organising committee of this summer’s Olympics and Paralympics follows an international uproar sparked by sexist remarks made by Yoshiro Mori, who eventually stepped down in February.

Masanori Takaya, spokesman of the committee, said earlier, “It is inappropriate if this report is true and very regrettable.” Hashimoto, who took over the top job from Mori, will meet reporters on Thursday on this issue.

“This is not a problem about sexism, but a human rights problem,” said one official at the committee, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

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Sasaki, a well-known figure in the advertising industry, was initially appointed to oversee the 2020 Paralympic ceremonies. But he was named chief executive creative director of the Olympics and Paralympics late last year, replacing acclaimed Kyogen actor Nomura Mansai, after the games were pushed back a year to 2021 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Sasaki directed the flag handover ceremony at the 2016 Rio Olympics, which starred former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe dressed as Super Mario, as well as the one-year countdown event at the National Stadium on July 23 featuring leukaemia-surviving swim star Rikako Ikee.

Before assuming the chief post, Sasaki, famous in Japan for his hit television commercials including a long-running series for mobile company SoftBank Corp., was one of the members of the planning team, led by Nomura until it was dissolved in December.

The organising committee explained at the time that the revamping of the ceremonies’ planning team was necessary to create more speedy and efficient workflows to address challenges in the wake of the pandemic.