Oyamada told Quick Japan magazine in 1995 how he had confined a classmate in a cardboard box and forced a boy with an intellectual disability to eat his own faeces and masturbate in front of other children. He made similar comments in another magazine interview a year earlier.
He apologised on Saturday, saying he was sorry his involvement with the Olympics and Paralympics had “made many people feel very uncomfortable”, but did not offer to resign.On Monday, the organising committee admitted it had been wrong to accept his first apology. Describing his actions as “absolutely unacceptable,” it said: “In light of his sincere apology, we expressed a willingness to allow Mr Oyamada to continue his work on preparations in the short time remaining before the opening ceremony. However, we have come to believe that this decision was wrong, and we have decided to accept his resignation.Oyamada’s resignation, coming four days before the opening ceremony, is the latest in a series of setbacks for organisers, who are also contending with and, on Monday, the decision by Toyota, a major sponsor, to during the Games.The organising committee’s former president, Yoshiro Mori, was in February after making sexist remarks about women in sports administration.
The following month, the creative director for the opening ceremony, Hiroshi Sasaki, resigned after making a derogatory comment about the popular celebrity .
The Olympics were supposed to be a huge PR boon for the host country, but it seems Japan's public image is getting trashed due to the Games.
Has anyone else seen the whole Australian Olympic mascot debacle?