TOKYO, Mar 4 (NNN-XINHUA) – Naoko Takahashi, the women’s marathon champion, at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, became one of 12 women, to be appointed as executive board members, of the Tokyo 2020 organising committee, it was announced here yesterday.
Tokyo 2020 announced that, the executive board members have been increased to 45 from 34, after the appointment at an executive meeting.
Yuko Arakida, already a board member, was appointed vice president.
Also joining the committee as directors are Paralympic Alpine skier, Kuniko Obinata, Naoko Saiki, an executive board member of the Japan Rugby Football Union and former chief of the Foreign Ministry’s Economic Affairs Bureau, Kaori Sasaki, the president of eWoman Inc., a networking site for women in business, and Chukyo University sports science professor, Kyoko Raita, head of Japan Society for Sport and Gender Studies.
The move to increase the number of women in the board is believed to “restore trust,” after former president, Yoshiro Mori’s sexist remarks.
The total number of female board members has been increased to 19 from seven, accounting for about 40% from 20%.– NNN-XINHUA
