Fix the JOC Before Hashimoto Talks of Hosting Olympics Again

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The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) has elected Seiko Hashimoto as its new president. Hashimoto, who has participated in seven Olympic Games herself, is a member of the Japanese Diet's House of Councillors.

The shambolic failure of the Sapporo Winter Olympics bid is still fresh in people's memory. Therefore, many members of the public have turned their backs on the JOC. Although Hashimoto, 60, is the first female JOC president, she must steel herself for the difficult road to regaining trust.

For the past decade, Japan's sports world has lacked the willingness to become actively involved in decision-making. With a few exceptions, the design and operation of the governance system for sports organizations has been left entirely to the national government. That includes discussions on hosting the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2021.

*Seiko Hashimoto after her election as the new president of the JOC on June 26. (©Sankei by Kazuya Kamogawa)*

In her inaugural press conference as president, Hashimoto declared that hosting the Olympics in the future was her "mission." However, it is difficult to claim that the current JOC is qualified to carry that banner into the fray. Until now, it has been left to the athletes to explain in their own way why Japan needs the Olympics.

Despite the athletes' best efforts, momentum for Japan to host the Olympics again has not been building. If Hashimoto is really intent on changing public opinion, it will not be sufficient for her to simply speak in platitudes.

JOC Election Was a Half-Baked Reform

That the JOC held its first election for president is certainly a step forward. There were three candidates on the ballot: Hashimoto, former Japan Football Association president Kozo Tashima, and JOC vice president and Japan Basketball Association president Yuko Mitsuya. Hashimoto was elected by a secret vote.

Nevertheless, the public should know what the three candidates were advocating. For example, what were their respective plans for rebuilding organizations that have lost their reason for existing? How did they propose to change society through sports? Also, couldn't the JOC find ways to extend the screening process before the final vote, such as having the candidates face off in open debates?

Former president Yasuhiro Yamashita is currently recovering from an injury and has not been seen in public for over a year and a half. Therefore, there was no compelling rationale for rushing to name a new president now. Holding an in-house election that cut the effort and time required amounted to nothing more than a half-baked reform.

Sapporo Mayor Katsuhiro Akimoto (left) and JOC President Yasuhiro Yamashita announce their decision not to bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics, on October 11, 2023, in Shinjuku, Tokyo. (© Sankei)

Hashimoto Must Forge a New Path for the JOC

In 1989 the JOC became independent from the Japan Amateur Sports Association (now the Japan Sports Association), which had strong ties with the government. The original ideal was for the JOC to achieve independence from politics as well as economic independence. Yet, isn't the result of the recent presidential election a contradiction? The new president has a responsibility to explain what she thinks about the distance between the sports world and the government.

Nor should we forget that Hashimoto was also involved in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party scandal involving the failure to report party income from political fundraising.

If she really aims to restore trust in the JOC, Hashimoto must be prepared to exercise discipline in the performance of her duties. Then she can start talking about bringing the Olympics back to Japan.