Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games Seiko Hashimoto (L) speaks during the video meeting of the 10th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Coordination Commission for the Games of the XXXII Olympiad - Tokyo 2020 in Tokyo, Japan, Sept. 24, 2020. (Xinhua/Du Xiaoyi)
Japan's Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto has been named the top candidate to become the new president of the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee, the state broadcaster NHK said here on Wednesday.
NHK said that the eight-member selection committee for the new president has pegged the minister for the Tokyo Games chief to replace Yoshiro Mori, who resigned last week over sexist comments about women.
It said that the panel will ask Hashimoto's personal opinion on whether to take the position.
The 56-year-old Hashimoto, who competed in four Winter Olympics as a speed skater and three Summer Olympics as a track cyclist, has served as the Olympics minister since September 11, 2019.
