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Japan government spokesman: Tokyo Olympics creative head's comment 'totally inappropriate'

Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Naoki Okada said on Thursday a comment made by Tokyo Olympics creative head Hiroshi Sasaki about a popular female Japanese entertainer was "totally inappropriate and should not have happened".

FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Executive Creative Director of the opening and closing cere
FILE PHOTO: Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games Executive Creative Director of the opening and closing ceremonies, Hiroshi Sasaki, attends a news conferece in Tokyo, Japan July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Toru Hanai/File Photo

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TOKYO: Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Naoki Okada said on Thursday a comment made by Tokyo Olympics creative head Hiroshi Sasaki about a popular female Japanese entertainer was "totally inappropriate and should not have happened".

Sasaki, head creative director for the opening and closing ceremonies at this year's Games, said he had told a planning group through a group chat that Naomi Watanabe could play a role as an "Olympig".

Sasaki said he had told Tokyo 2020 President Seiko Hashimoto late on Wednesday evening that he was stepping down.

(Reporting by Kiyoshi Takenaka; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Source: Reuters