Comments by Governor Koike Yuriko on the appointment of Hashimoto Seiko as the new President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee

Governor Koike Yuriko made the following comments in response to Hashimoto Seiko’s appointment as the new President of The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games today.

Governor Koike’s comments

Today, Ms. Hashimoto Seiko was appointed as the new president of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee.

With the wealth of experience Tokyo 2020 President Hashimoto possesses as an athlete, having competed in a total of seven Olympic Games (four Winter Olympics and three Summer Olympics), I have high expectations that she will approach operating the Games from an athlete’s perspective as well. As Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, she worked very hard representing the national government in the lead up to the Games. Ms. Hashimoto also simultaneously served as Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment. And, I am convinced that she will strive to achieve “Unity in Diversity”, one of the visions of the Tokyo 2020 Games.

There is now less than six months to go to the Tokyo 2020 Games. In March, the long awaited Tokyo 2020 Olympic Torch Relay will kick off in Fukushima Prefecture. As the host city, Tokyo will take every possible measure to stop the spread of COVID-19, and continue working closely with Tokyo 2020 President Hashimoto and all parties concerned, including the national government, International Olympic Committee (IOC), and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to realise the safe and secure Games eagerly awaited by athletes, children, and many others around the world.

*Please click here for the original Japanese press release.