Following the appointment of Ms Seiko Hashimoto as the President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee, International Paralympic Committee (IPC) President Andrew Parsons said:

“I would like to congratulate Ms Hashimoto on her appointment as the new President of the Tokyo 2020 Organising Committee. Ms Hashimoto is familiar to us due to her former role as Olympic and Paralympic Games Minister and made a great impression on me each time we have met or communicated previously.  The whole of the IPC and Paralympic Movement look forward to working with her and wish her the best of luck in her new role.

“She knows the Games environment well as a seven-time Olympian and former Games Minister, is well connected politically and will bring a strong athlete viewpoint to the Organising Committee. As the former Minister of State for Gender Equality and Minister in Charge of Women’s Empowerment, I look forward to her to using the Games as a platform to advance the diversity and inclusion agenda, not just in terms of gender, but sexuality, race and, importantly, persons with disabilities.

“Ms Hashimoto will lead a fantastic team, the strongest and best prepared Organising Committee and host city the IPC has ever had the pleasure of working with. She also joins at a critical and challenging time, with the Organising Committee working around the clock with its partners, the IOC and IPC to deliver safe and secure Games this summer.

“In making a swift decision, I would also like to thank the Candidate Review Committee and the Executive Board for following a transparent and thorough recruitment process. With just six months to go until the start of the Paralympics, and even less time for the Olympics, it was essential that no time was left to waste in replacing Mr Mori.”

Ms Hashimoto is an Olympic bronze medallist and seven-time Olympian, having competed in four Winter Games as a speed skater and three times in the Summer Games in the sport of cycling.

She was first elected to the House of Councillors (proportional representation, Liberal Democratic Party) in 1995 and re-elected for the fourth time in 2019.  During her time in Government she has served multiple roles including: Parliamentary Vice-Minister, Hokkaido Development Agency; Chairperson, House of Councillors Committee on Education, Culture and Science; Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs; Chairperson, General Assembly of Liberal Democratic Party Members in the House of Councillors; Minister for the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games; Minister of State for Gender Equality; Minister in charge of Women’s Empowerment.

She led Japan’s delegation to the Vancouver 2010, Sochi 2014, and Rio 2016 Olympic Games and served as deputy delegation lead to London 2012 Olympic Games.