In a historic move, Seiko Hashimoto has taken the reins as the president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, marking her as the first woman to assume this role. A former athlete, Hashimoto was selected on Thursday evening, succeeding Yasuhiro Yamashita, who completed three terms as president.
Hashimoto boasts an impressive athletic background, having competed in both the Summer and Winter Olympics. She participated in three Summer Olympics for cycling (1988, 1992, 1996), and in four Winter Olympics for speedskating (1984, 1988, 1992, 1994), securing a bronze medal in speedskating at the 1992 Albertville Games.
In addition to her athletic achievements, Hashimoto has been involved in politics, serving as a minister in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and maintaining a seat in the upper house of Japan’s parliament. Earlier in 2021, she was appointed as the president of the Tokyo Olympic Organizing Committee, taking over from Yoshiro Mori. Mori, who had previously served as Japan’s prime minister, stepped down from his role following controversial comments he made about women.
Reports from Japanese media suggest that Hashimoto recently met with the outgoing President of the International Olympic Committee, Thomas Bach, who motivated her to consider bidding for another Olympic event in Japan. Hashimoto echoed this ambition, reportedly commenting on the significance of the Japanese Olympic Committee’s mission to host the Olympics and Paralympics in the future.
The Tokyo Olympics, originally scheduled for 2020, were postponed to 2021 due to the global COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the successful execution of the games, they were marred by financial challenges, with rising costs and a bid-rigging scandal. This controversy eventually led Japan to withdraw its potential bid for Sapporo to host the Winter Olympics in 2030.
Hashimoto’s presidency comes with intense scrutiny, particularly with the recent political funding scandal involving the ruling Liberal Democratic Party. She addressed this issue directly, stating that she would not have sought the position if there had been any doubts regarding her integrity.