The chief of the Tokyo Olympics organizing committee has apologized for making derogatory comments about women, but refuses to resign amid the ongoing controversy.

“The Education Ministry has been very insistent about choosing female directors,” former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori said Wednesday during a Japanese Olympic Committee board of directors meeting.

“But a board meeting with plenty of women will make it drag on.”

Describing women as having a “strong sense of rivalry,” he said if a woman raises her hand to speak, all the other women feel the need to speak too and everyone ends up talking.

The committee has set a goal to increase the number of women on its board of directors to 40 percent. Currently, there are five women in the 25-member body.

“Somebody told me that if we increase the number of women, we have to also restrict their speaking time to an extent,” Mori said. “Otherwise they will never stop, which is problematic.”

His comments caused a public outcry, but it took the former prime minister a day to retract his remarks.

“The statement made at the Japan Olympic Committee was an inappropriate expression, contrary to the spirit of the Olympics and Paralympics,” Mori said Thursday. “I am deeply remorseful. I would like to withdraw the statement. I would like to apologize for any unpleasant feelings.”

But the Tokyo Games chief insisted on staying in his post.

“I have been working hard and helped devotedly for seven years. I will not be stepping down,” he said.

The International Olympic Committee released a statement Thursday, saying it considers the issue “closed” after Mori’s apology.

According to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020, Japan ranked 121st out of 153 countries in terms of gender parity and had the largest gender gap among advanced economies.

By Kan Hyeong-woo (hwkan@heraldcorp.com)