Japan Considers Withholding Ministers from Beijing Olympics... Coordinating with US Which Declared Boycott

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] The Japanese government is reportedly considering postponing the dispatch of ministers to the Beijing Winter Olympics.

According to the Sankei Shimbun on the 8th, the Japanese government is considering sending Koji Murofushi, Commissioner of the Sports Agency under the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or Yasuhiro Yamashita, President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), as an alternative during the Beijing Olympics.

Taking into account the alliance with the United States, the plan is to send Murofushi or Yamashita, who hold lower ranks than ministers, to align with the U.S. diplomatic boycott, rather than sending ministers who are official government representatives.

China dispatched Gou Zhongwen, Director of the State General Administration of Sports, equivalent to a sports minister, to the Tokyo Summer Olympics in July this year, so Japan is in a position to send a reciprocal envoy this time. Director Gou is equivalent to a ministerial level in Japan.

Murofushi, Commissioner of the Sports Agency who is not a minister, is a former hammer throw athlete and is originally classified as a sports official, thus having a weaker government representative character.

The JOC is a public interest incorporated foundation and is distinct from government agencies.

However, since Director Gou also serves as head of the Chinese Olympic Committee, sending President Yamashita could be interpreted as sending a counterpart to Director Gou.

The Tokyo Shimbun reported that within the Japanese government, there is a shared recognition that consideration should be given to the U.S., which declared a diplomatic boycott, and that the majority opinion is passive regarding sending ministers.

The Tokyo Shimbun also reported that the Japanese side is considering sending key personnel at the level of executives of sports organizations.