imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:21st-century Prime Ministers of Japan to :Category:21st-century prime ministers of Japan per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 July 15#Category:19th-century Prime Ministers of Nepal (etc.)

2021-08-18T04:35:43Z

Moving Category:21st-century Prime Ministers of Japan to Category:21st-century prime ministers of Japan per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 July 15#Category:19th-century Prime Ministers of Nepal (etc.)

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{{short description|86th Prime Minister of Japan}}
{{for|the mathematician|Yoshiro Mori (mathematician)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = Yoshiro Mori
| native_name = {{nobold|森喜朗}}
| native_name_lang = ja
| image = Yoshiro Mori 20000405.jpg
| image_size =
| caption =
| office = [[Prime Minister of Japan]]
| monarch = [[Akihito]]
| term_start = 5 April 2000
| term_end = 26 April 2001
| predecessor = [[Keizō Obuchi]]
| successor = [[Junichiro Koizumi]]
| office2 = [[Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport (Japan)|Minister of Construction]]
| primeminister2 = [[Tomiichi Murayama]]
| term_start2 = 8 August 1995
| term_end2 = 11 January 1996
| predecessor2 = [[Koken Nosaka]]
| successor2 = [[Eiichi Nakao]]
| office3 = [[Ministry of International Trade and Industry|Minister of International Trade and Industry]]
| primeminister3 = [[Kiichi Miyazawa]]
| term_start3 = 12 December 1992
| term_end3 = 20 July 1993
| predecessor3 = [[Kozo Watanabe (Democratic Party politician)|Kozo Watanabe]]
| successor3 = [[Hiroshi Kumagai]]
| office4 = [[Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (Japan)|Minister of Education]]
| primeminister4 = [[Yasuhiro Nakasone]]
| term_start4 = 27 December 1983
| term_end4 = 1 November 1984
| predecessor4 = [[Mitsuo Setoyama]]
| successor4 = [[Hikaru Matsunaga]]
| office5 = [[President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games|President of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games]]
| term_start5 = 21 August 2016
| term_end5 = 18 February 2021
| predecessor5 = [[Carlos Arthur Nuzman]]
| successor5 = [[Seiko Hashimoto]]
| leader5 = [[Thomas Bach]]
| office6 = Chair of the [[Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games]]
| term_start6 = 24 January 2014
| term_end6 = 18 February 2021
| predecessor6 = ''Committee established''
| successor6 = Seiko Hashimoto
| office7 = [[House of Representatives (Japan)|Member of the House of Representatives]]
| term_start7 = 27 December 1969
| term_end7 = 25 June 2000
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1937|7|14|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Nomi, Ishikawa]], [[Empire of Japan|Japan]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| party = [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic]]
| spouse = Chieko Maki
| children = Yūki Mori<br />Yoko Fujimoto
| alma_mater = [[Waseda University]] ([[Bachelor of Business Administration|BBA]])
| website = [https://web.archive.org/web/20050830101025/http://www.mori-yoshiro.com/ Yoshiro Mori WebSite]
}}

{{nihongo|'''Yoshirō Mori'''|森喜朗|Mori Yoshirō|born 14 July 1937}} is a Japanese politician who served as [[Prime Minister of Japan]] between April 2000 and April 2001. Described as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark", he was unpopular in opinion polls during his time in office, and is known for making controversial statements, both during and after his premiership.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/702323.stm Profile: Yoshiro Mori] [[BBC News]], (2000-11-20, 08:34 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]</ref><ref>噂の眞相特別取材班｢『サメの脳ミソ』と『ノミの心臓』を持つ森喜朗 "総理失格" の人間性の証明」(『噂の眞相』2000年6月号、pp.24–31)</ref><ref name="news.google.com">[https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1356&dat=20000609&id=budPAAAAIBAJ&sjid=kQgEAAAAIBAJ&pg=6636,2031707 Japan's prime minister adds more gaffes at Obuchi funeral] [[Star-Banner]]</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Japanese PM sparks holy row |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/750180.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=16 May 2000 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Mori's Remarks Again Draw Criticism |url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/05/news/mn-37760 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |agency=[[Associated Press]] |date=5 June 2000 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref><ref name="nytimes.com">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-yoshiro-mori.html|title=Tokyo Olympics Chief Apologizes for Remarks Demeaning Women|first1=Motoko|last1=Rich|first2=Hikari|last2=Hida|first3=Makiko|last3=Inoue|date=3 February 2021|via=NYTimes.com}}</ref> He also served as the President of the [[Japan Rugby Football Union]] as well as the [[Japan-Korea Parliamentarians' Union]]. In 2014, he was appointed to head the [[Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|organizing committee]] for the [[2020 Summer Olympics]] and [[2020 Summer Paralympics|Paralympics]],<ref name="afp">{{cite news|title=Mori says he may not live to see 2020 Olympics|url=http://www.japantoday.com/category/sports/view/mori-says-he-may-not-live-to-see-2020-olympics|access-date=15 January 2014|newspaper=AFP|date=15 January 2014}}</ref> but he resigned in February 2021 following gaffes made at a committee meeting that were considered to be [[sexist]].<ref name=kyodo120221>{{cite web |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/02/5a9acbe64b18-breaking-news-olympic-minister-vows-to-restore-trust-after-moris-resignation.html|title=Tokyo Olympics head quits over sexism row with no successor in sight|date=12 February 2021|publisher=[[Kyodo News]]|access-date=12 February 2021}}</ref>

==Early life and education==
Yoshiro Mori was born in present-day [[Nomi, Ishikawa]], Japan, as the son of [[Shigeki Mori|Shigeki]] and Kaoru Mori, wealthy rice farmers with a history in politics, as both his father and grandfather served as the mayor of [[Neagari, Ishikawa|Neagari]], [[Ishikawa Prefecture]]. His mother died when Yoshiro was seven years old. He studied at the [[Waseda University]] in Tokyo, joining the [[rugby union]] club. He developed a passion for the sport but was never a high-level player; he once compared rugby to his relationship with other parties in the ruling coalition by stating: "In rugby, one person doesn't become a star, one person plays for all, and all play for one."<ref name=Famous>[http://wesclark.com/rrr/famous.html Famous Ruggers by Wes Clark and others], retrieved 19 August 2009</ref>

After university, Mori joined the ''[[Sankei Shimbun]]'', a conservative newspaper in Japan.

==Political career==
[[File:Murayama Government 19950808.jpg|thumb|left|with members of [[Murayama Cabinet|Murayama Reshuffled Cabinet]] (at the [[Prime Minister's Official Residence]] on 8 August 1995)]]
In 1962, he left the newspaper and became secretary of a [[Diet of Japan|Diet]] member, and in the [[1969 Japanese general election|1969 general election]], he was elected in the [[House of Representatives of Japan|lower house]] at age 32. He was reelected 10 consecutive times. In 1980, he was involved in the [[Recruit scandal]] about receiving unlisted shares of Recruit (company) before they were publicly traded, and selling them after they were made public for a profit of approximately 1 million dollars.

He was education minister in 1983 and 1984, international trade and industry minister in 1992 and 1993, and construction minister in 1995 and 1996.

In 1999, Mori began to assume control of the Mitsuzuka faction (formerly Abe faction) that had been headed by [[Hiroshi Mitsuzuka]] in the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party (LDP)]].<ref name="Gómez2002">{{cite book|author=Edmund Terence Gómez|title=Political Business in East Asia|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T28m8-Zwz3cC&pg=PA336|access-date=1 January 2013|year=2002|publisher=Taylor & Francis Group|isbn=978-0-415-27148-6|page=336}}</ref>

==Prime minister==
In the midst of a battle with [[Liberal Party (Japan, 1998)|Liberal Party]] leader [[Ichirō Ozawa]], Prime Minister [[Keizō Obuchi]] suffered a stroke and cerebral hemorrhage on 2 April 2000 and was unable to continue in office. The [[Cabinet of Japan|Cabinet]] held an emergency meeting and resigned en masse. Mori, who was the secretary general of the [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] (LDP), was unanimously elected president, and became prime minister with the votes of the LDP, [[New Komeito]] and [[New Conservative Party (Japan)|New Conservative Party]] (composed of members who left Ozawa's party on 3 April). Mori announced that he would keep Obuchi's cabinet in place.<ref name="efron0405">{{cite news|last=Efron|first=Sonni|title=A Ruling Party Veteran Becomes Japan's Premier|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/apr/05/news/mn-16176|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=5 April 2000}}</ref>

===Gaffes===
[[Image:Mori and bush.jpg|thumb|Mori with [[George W. Bush]]]]
The media coverage of Mori's term as prime minister was dominated by his gaffes and undiplomatic comments. Even prior to his election as prime minister, he had been described in the Japanese media as having "the heart of a flea and the brain of a shark".<ref name="efron0405" /><ref name="bbc1120">{{cite news |title=Profile: Yoshiro Mori |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/702323.stm |publisher=BBC News |date=20 November 2000 |access-date=14 January 2014}}</ref>

* In January 2000, he made a joke about his campaign in the [[1969 Japanese general election|1969 election]]: "When I was greeting farmers from my car, they all went into their homes. I felt like I had AIDS."<ref name="bbc1120" />
* In February 2000, when asked about the [[Year 2000 problem]] in the United States, Mori quipped that "when [[New York City blackout of 1977|there is a blackout, the murderers always come out]]. It's that type of society."<ref name="bbc1120" />
* At Obuchi's funeral, Mori failed to clap and bow properly before Obuchi's shrine, an important portion of a traditional Japanese funeral rite. The other world leaders present at the funeral, including then U.S. President Bill Clinton, performed the ritual correctly.<ref name="news.google.com"/>
* At a meeting of Shinto followers in Tokyo in May 2000, Mori described Japan as "a divine nation (''kami no kuni'') with the Emperor at its center". This "divine nation statement" stirred controversy in Japan as it invoked the official interpretation of the Emperor as a divine entity during the days of the [[Empire of Japan]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Japanese PM sparks holy row|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/750180.stm|access-date=14 January 2014|publisher=BBC News|date=16 May 2000}}</ref> Days after this statement, Mori questioned whether the [[Japan Communist Party]] could "ensure Japan's security and defend the ''[[kokutai]]''", using a term for Japan's unity with its divine emperor which had not been in common use since World War II.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mori's Remarks Again Draw Criticism|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/jun/05/news/mn-37760|access-date=14 January 2014|agency=Associated Press|date=5 June 2000}}</ref>
* During the [[2000 Japanese general election|June 2000 election]], when asked about recent newspaper reports that showed that roughly half of the voters still had not decided for whom to vote, he replied that they could "stay in bed for the day".<ref>{{cite news|last=Schmetzer|first=Uli|title=Undecided Voters Are Sleeping Giant of Japan Politics|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2000-06-24/news/0006240156_1_japan-politics-ldp-swing-voters|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=24 June 2000}}</ref>
* In October 2000, during a dialogue with British prime minister [[Tony Blair]], Mori stated that the Japanese government had suggested in 1997 that [[North Korean abductions of Japanese|Japanese nationals believed to be abducted by North Korea]] be arranged to be "found" elsewhere in order to ensure a smooth normalization of the relation between North Korea and Japan, which upset the foreign ministry and led to calls for Mori's resignation from conservative voices within the LDP.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan: The Mori effect|url=http://www.economist.com/node/404095|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=The Economist|date=26 October 2000}}</ref>
* In December 2000, pictures appeared in the weekly magazine [[Shukan Gendai]] showing him drinking in an Osaka bar with a high-ranking [[Yakuza]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Yakuza Wars|url=http://apjjf.org/-David-McNeill/2911/article.html|access-date=24 June 2017|newspaper=The Asia Pacific Journal|date=1 September 2000}}</ref>
* In February 2001, the US submarine [[USS Greeneville (SSN-772)|USS ''Greeneville'']] accidentally hit and sank the Japanese fishing ship ''[[Ehime Maru and USS Greeneville collision|Ehime Maru]]'' during an emergency surface drill on 9 February 2001, resulting in 9 dead students and teachers. Mori continued a round of golf after being told of the incident, for which he was criticized as being politically tone-deaf.<ref name="time">{{cite news|last=Pellegrini|first=Frank|title=Yoshiro Mori|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,102715,00.html|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=TIME|date=15 March 2001}}</ref>
* One unsubstantiated story concerned the [[26th G8 summit]] in 2000, at which upon meeting U.S. President [[Bill Clinton]], Mori was to say "How are you". Instead, he allegedly slipped up and said "Who are you;" Clinton answered "Well, I'm Hillary Clinton's husband", to which Mori replied "Me too". [[Snopes.com]] reported that this was obviously a low-quality fabrication/joke and that the same story had been told about [[Kim Young-sam]] several months earlier.<ref>{{cite news|title=Who Are You?|url=http://www.snopes.com/politics/humor/whoareyou.asp|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Snopes.com|date=17 June 2009}}</ref> It was nonetheless reported by some mainstream media outlets such as [[Australian Broadcasting Corporation|ABC in Australia]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Martin|first=Peter|title=Farcical US / Japan Summit|url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/stories/s262380.htm|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=ABC AM|date=19 March 2001}}</ref>

===Resignation===
Two senior Mori appointees resigned due to fundraising scandals in August 2000. Mori's disapproval rating neared 60% following these resignations.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mori's Woes Grow With Scandals|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/aug/03/local/me-63753|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=3 August 2000}}</ref>

In November 2000, with Mori's approval ratings below 30%, opposition politicians attempted to win a [[vote of no confidence]] against Mori by soliciting support from rebels within the LDP. [[Hiromu Nonaka]], the secretary general of the party, quashed the potential revolt by threatening to expel any LDP politicians who voted for the measure.<ref>{{cite news|title=Japan's Ruling Party Moves to Quash Mutiny Over Mori|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/nov/20/news/mn-54782|access-date=14 January 2014|agency=Associated Press|date=20 November 2000}}</ref> The vote failed 237 to 190.<ref>{{cite news|last=Efron|first=Sonni|title=Japanese Premier Survives No-Confidence Vote|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/nov/21/news/mn-55126|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=21 November 2000}}</ref> Nonaka resigned days later amid speculation that he would challenge Mori for leadership of the LDP.<ref>{{cite news|title=tions LDP Official Quits; Mori May Be at More Risk|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/dec/01/news/mn-59743|access-date=14 January 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=1 December 2000}}</ref>

Towards the end of Mori's term, his approval rating dropped to single digits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://jacobinmag.com/2021/02/japan-olympics-covid-sexism-mori|title=As Japan Prepares for the Postponed Olympics, a Conservative Old Guard Is Dragging the Country Down|website=Jacobin|last1=McCormack|first1=Gavan|author-link=Gavan McCormack|date=February 24, 2021|access-date=February 24, 2021}}</ref> In March 2001, reports surfaced that Mori had told LDP leaders of his plans to resign. Although he denied the reports, they contributed to a massive drop in Japanese stock market prices early that week.<ref>{{cite news|last=Pellegrini|first=Frank|date=2001-03-15|language=en-US|work=Time|url=http://content.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,102715,00.html|access-date=2021-02-06|issn=0040-781X}}</ref> On 6 April, he officially announced his intention to resign.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mori Goes Public With Plan to Quit|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2001/apr/06/news/mn-47598|access-date=14 January 2014|agency=Associated Press|date=6 April 2001}}</ref> [[Junichiro Koizumi]] won the subsequent LDP leadership election and became prime minister on 26 April 2001.

===Cabinets===
Mori appointed three cabinets. The third cabinet is officially referred to as a continuation of the second cabinet, as the changes came amid a major administrative realignment in January 2001 that eliminated several cabinet positions and renamed several key ministries.

{| class="wikitable" style="font-size:88%;"
|+ '''Cabinets of Yoshiro Mori'''
|-
| style="width:15%;"| || style="width:20%;"| First Cabinet<br />(April 2000) || style="width:20%;"| Second Cabinet<br />(July 2000) || colspan=2 | Second Cabinet, Realigned<br />(Jan. 2001)
|-
| rowspan=2 | [[Chief Cabinet Secretary]] and Okinawa Development || rowspan=2 | [[Mikio Aoki]] || rowspan=2 | [[Yasuo Fukuda]] || style="width:15%;"| [[Chief Cabinet Secretary]] || [[Yasuo Fukuda]]
|-
| Administrative Reform, Okinawa and Northern Territories || [[Ryutaro Hashimoto]]
|-
|| Foreign Affairs || [[Yōhei Kōno]] || [[Yōhei Kōno]] || colspan=2 | [[Yōhei Kōno]]
|-
|| Justice || [[Hideo Usui]] || [[Okiharu Yasuoka]] || colspan=2 | [[Masahiko Kōmura]]
|-
|| Finance || [[Kiichi Miyazawa]] || [[Kiichi Miyazawa]] || colspan=2 | [[Kiichi Miyazawa]]
|-
|| Education || [[Hirofumi Nakasone]] || [[Tadamori Oshima]] || colspan=2 | [[Nobutaka Machimura]]
|-
|| Health and Welfare || [[Yuya Niwa]] || [[Yūji Tsushima]] || rowspan=2 | Health, Labor and Welfare || rowspan=2 | [[Chikara Sakaguchi]]
|-
|| Labor || [[Takamori Makino]] || [[Yoshio Yoshikawa]]
|-
|| Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries || [[Tokuichiro Tamazawa]] || [[Yoichi Tani]] || colspan=2 | [[Yoshio Yatsu]]
|-
|| International Trade and Industry || [[Takashi Fukaya]] || [[Takeo Hiranuma]] || Economy, Trade and Industry || [[Takeo Hiranuma]]
|-
|| Transport || [[Toshihiro Nikai]] || [[Hajime Morita]] || rowspan=2 | Land, Infrastructure and Transport || rowspan=2 | [[Chikage Oogi]]
|-
|| Construction || [[Masaaki Nakayama]] || [[Chikage Oogi]]
|-
|| Home Affairs || [[Kosuke Hori]] || [[Mamoru Nishida]] || rowspan=3 | Public Management, Home Affairs, Posts and Telecommunications || rowspan=3 | [[Toranosuke Katayama]]
|-
|| Posts and Telecommunications || [[Eita Yashiro]] || [[Kozo Hirabayashi]]
|-
|| [[Management and Coordination Agency]] || [[Kunihiro Tsuzuki]] || [[Kunihiro Tsuzuki]]
|-
|| [[Ministry of Defense (Japan)|Japan Defense Agency]] || [[Tsutomu Kawara]] || [[Kazuo Torashima]] || colspan=2 | [[Toshitsugu Saito]]
|-
|| [[Economic Planning Agency]] || [[Taichi Sakaiya]] || [[Taichi Sakaiya]] || Economic and Fiscal Policy || [[Tarō Asō]]
|-
|| Environment || [[Kayoko Shimizu]] || [[Yoriko Kawaguchi]] || colspan=2 | [[Yoriko Kawaguchi]]
|-
|| Financial Reconstruction || [[Sadakazu Tanigaki]] || [[Hideyuki Aizawa]] || Financial Affairs || [[Hakuo Yanagisawa]]
|-
| colspan=3 | || [[National Public Safety Commission (Japan)|National Public Safety Commission]] || [[Bunmei Ibuki]]
|-
| colspan=3 | || [[Council for Science and Technology Policy]] || [[Takashi Sasagawa]]
|}

==Later years==
After resigning as prime minister, Mori remained a member of the House of Representatives, representing the [[Ishikawa 2nd district]], until announcing in July 2012 that he would not stand in the [[2012 Japanese general election|December 2012 general election]].<ref>The Daily Yomiuri [http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/national/T120723003828.htm Ex-PM Mori not to run in next election] Retrieved on 24 July 2012</ref>

He was awarded the [[Padma Bhushan]], India's third highest civilian award, in 2004.<ref name="Padma Awards">{{cite web|url=http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |title=Padma Awards |publisher=Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India |date=2015 |access-date=21 July 2015 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151015193758/http://mha.nic.in/sites/upload_files/mha/files/LST-PDAWD-2013.pdf |archive-date=15 October 2015 }}</ref>

===Russia diplomacy===
[[File:Vladimir Putin 25 March 2001-2.jpg|thumb|Mori with [[Vladimir Putin]] on 25 March 2001]]
Mori remained an important player in [[Russo-Japanese relations]] following his resignation as prime minister due to his close personal relationship with [[Vladimir Putin]]. Prime Minister [[Yoshihiko Noda]] of the [[Democratic Party of Japan]] considered tapping Mori in 2012 to resolve the dispute between the two countries over the [[Kuril Islands]], despite the fact that Noda and Mori were from opposing parties in the Diet.<ref>{{cite news|last=Westlake|first=Adam|title=Noda considers asking former PM Mori to help with Russian dispute|url=http://japandailypress.com/noda-considers-asking-former-pm-mori-to-help-with-russian-dispute-271424/|access-date=15 January 2014|newspaper=Japan Daily Press|date=27 April 2012}}</ref>

In 2013, Mori met with Putin and [[Sergey Naryshkin]] in preparations for a summit between Putin and Japanese Prime Minister [[Shinzō Abe]]. Mori had at one time suggested that Japan could give Russia three of the four disputed islands in exchange for a peace treaty, which went against the Japanese government's official view that Moscow should acknowledge Japan's ownership of all four.<ref>{{cite news|last=Billones|first=Cherrie Lou|title=Ex-PM Mori meets with Putin to lay foundation for Abe's visit to Russia|url=http://japandailypress.com/ex-pm-mori-meets-with-putin-to-lay-foundation-for-abes-visit-to-russia-2123823/|access-date=15 January 2014|newspaper=Japan Daily Press|date=21 February 2013}}</ref>

[[File:PM-Yoshiro-Mori-Father-Grave-25-March-2001.jpg|thumb|Mori at the grave of his father in [[Shelekhov]]]]
Mori has a personal connection to Russia, as his father Shigeki Mori developed a relationship with the Siberian town of [[Shelekhov]] during his time as mayor of the city of [[Neagari]], and developed a bilateral dialogue to improve the gravesites of Soviet soldiers in Japan and Japanese soldiers in Siberia; he was so close to Russia that Japanese authorities monitored him closely as a potential communist sympathizer. The elder Mori visited Shelekhov more than 15 times during his 35 years in office, and was buried there following his death.<ref>{{cite news|last=Reitman|first=Valerie|title=Personal Element to Japan Premier's Russia Trip|url=https://articles.latimes.com/2000/apr/28/news/mn-24496|access-date=15 January 2014|newspaper=Los Angeles Times|date=28 April 2000}}</ref>

===Sports-related advocacy===
Mori became President of the [[Japan Rugby Football Union]] in June 2005. It had been hoped his clout would help secure the [[2011 Rugby Union World Cup]] for Japan, but instead the event was awarded to New Zealand in late November 2005.<ref name=Richards13>Richards, p276</ref> This led Mori to accuse the [[Commonwealth of Nations]] countries of "passing the ball around their friends."<ref name=Richards14>Richards, p277</ref> Mori later assisted in Japan's successful bids for both the [[2019 Rugby World Cup]] and [[2020 Summer Olympics]].<ref name="afp" />

In 2014, at the age of 76, he was appointed to head the organizing committee for the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo. He quipped, "I am destined to live five or six more years if I am lucky. This will be my one last service to the country."<ref name="afp" /> However, Mori drew international and domestic criticism for his critical statements about Japan's Olympic figure skaters [[Mao Asada]] and [[Chris Reed (figure skater)|Chris Reed]] and [[Cathy Reed]], who were representing Japan at the [[2014 Sochi Olympics]].<ref>{{cite news|title=Mori criticizes Asada, draws international fire|url=http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/02/21/national/tokyo-2020-olympics-chairman-mori-criticizes-maos-performance/|access-date=27 December 2014|agency=The Japan Times|date=21 February 2014}}</ref>

Another controversy occurred in 2021 when Mori, who at this time was president of the organization responsible for the upcoming Olympic Games, said that women talk too much in meetings.<ref name="nytimes.com"/> At the [[Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games|organizing committee]] meeting for the [[2020 Summer Olympics|Tokyo Olympics]] while discussing the objective of aiming for at least 40% of members to be female, he stated that “On boards with a lot of women, the board meetings take so much time. Women have a strong sense of competition. If one person raises their hand, others probably think, I need to say something too. That’s why everyone speaks.”<ref>{{cite news|date=4 February 2021|title=Tokyo Olympics Chief Suggests Limits for Women at Meetings|newspaper=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/03/sports/olympics/tokyo-olympics-yoshiro-mori.html|access-date=4 February 2021}}</ref> He apologized for his statements and initially stated he would not resign as head of the organizing committee,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/2021/02/04/964035588/facing-backlash-for-sexist-remarks-tokyo-olympics-chief-apologizes-but-wont-resi|title=Facing Backlash For Sexist Remarks, Tokyo Olympics Chief Apologizes But Won't Resign|last=Treisman|first=Rachel|date=4 February 2021|publisher=[[NPR]]|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> but on February 11 announced his intention to step down from the post.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://english.kyodonews.net/news/2021/02/d31630ba463d-breaking-news-tokyo-olympic-chief-mori-to-resign-sources.html|title=Tokyo Olympics chief Mori to quit over "sexist" remarks|date=11 February 2021|publisher=[[Kyodo News]]|access-date=11 February 2021}}</ref> In his resignation speech the following day, Mori said that he did not intend to demean women, and blamed the media for fueling public anger. He stressed the importance that the Olympics be held in July, adding that the committee's efforts would be wasted if he were to cause trouble by remaining in his post.<ref name=kyodo120221/> In February 2021, Mori resigned his position as Games president and was replaced by a woman, [[Seiko Hashimoto]].

==Personal life==
He is married to Chieko (born: Chieko Maki), a fellow [[Waseda University]] student, and he has a son, Yūki Mori, and a daughter, Yoko Fujimoto.

In 2003, he received the highest distinction of the [[Scout Association of Japan]], the [[Golden Pheasant Award]].<ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20160910142356/http://reinanzaka-sc.o.oo7.jp/kiroku/documents/20140523-3-kiji-list.pdf ]</ref>

==Honours==
*{{flagicon|India}} [[File:IND Padma Bhushan BAR.png|60px]] [[Padma Bhushan]] (2004)
*{{flagicon|Republic of China}} [[Order of Brilliant Star|Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon]] (2006)
*{{flagicon|Russia}} [[File:Ribbon Medal 300 years Saint-Petersburg.png|60px]] [[Medal "In Commemoration of the 300th Anniversary of Saint Petersburg"]] (2007)
*{{flagicon|France}} [[File:Legion Honneur GO ribbon.svg|60px]] Grand Officier, [[Légion d'honneur]] (2010)
*{{flagicon|South Korea}} [[File:Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (Class 1) Grand Gwanghwa Medal ribbon.gif|60px]] [[Order of Diplomatic Service Merit]] Grand Gwanghwa Medal (2010)
*{{flagicon|Japan}} [[File:JPN Toka-sho BAR.svg|60px]] [[Order of the Paulownia Flowers|Grand Cordon of the Order of the Paulownia Flowers]] (2017)

==References==
* Richards, Huw ''A Game for Hooligans: The History of Rugby Union'' ([[Mainstream Publishing]], Edinburgh, 2007, {{ISBN|978-1-84596-255-5}})

{{reflist|33em}}

==External links==
{{commons category|Yoshiro Mori}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20050830101025/http://www.mori-yoshiro.com/ Official website] (in Japanese)

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{{Prime Ministers of Japan}}
{{PadmaBhushanAwardRecipients 2000–09}}
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Mori, Yoshiro}}
[[Category:1937 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:20th-century prime ministers of Japan]]
[[Category:21st-century prime ministers of Japan]]
[[Category:Japanese journalists]]
[[Category:Japanese rugby union players]]
[[Category:Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Ministers of Construction of Japan]]
[[Category:Presidents of the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games]]
[[Category:Prime Ministers of Japan]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Order of Brilliant Star]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Padma Bhushan in public affairs]]
[[Category:Waseda University alumni]]
[[Category:21st-century Japanese politicians]]
[[Category:Politicians from Ishikawa Prefecture]]

Yoshirō Mori - Revision history

JVLEricka167: refined citations additionally and cleaned formatting for clarity

imported>JJMC89 bot III: Moving :Category:21st-century Prime Ministers of Japan to :Category:21st-century prime ministers of Japan per Wikipedia:Categories for discussion/Log/2021 July 15#Category:19th-century Prime Ministers of Nepal (etc.)