Mori told reporters, however, he is not thinking of resigning.

The president of the Tokyo Olympic organising committee stirred controversy with sexist comments that women board members talked too much.

"If we increase the number of female board members, we have to make sure their speaking time is restricted somewhat, they have difficulty finishing, which is annoying," said Mori, according to the Asahi report.

"We have about seven women at the organising committee but everyone understands their place."

The 83-year-old Yoshiro Mori, a former Japanese prime minister and head of the Tokyo committee organising the postponed Summer Games this year, had told a newspaper earlier he may step down if calls for his resignation continue.

The hashtag "Mori, please resign" was trending on Twitter in Japan on Thursday morning and some users on the platform were calling on sponsors to pressure the Tokyo organising committee into dropping Mori from the top post.

Mori made the sexist comments at a Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) board of trustees meeting this week.

In a hastily called press briefing on Thursday afternoon, Mori tried to explain himself, at first apologising, then later saying he did not necessarily think that fretting over the number of women in high-ranking positions was what was important.

"I don't talk to women that much lately so I don't know," Mori said, when asked by a reporter whether he had any basis for saying women board members talked too much during meetings.

The International Olympic Committee considers the "issue closed".

"Mori has apologised for his comments today. With this, the IOC considers the issue closed," it said in a statement.

Mori's defiant response is unlikely to tamp down public criticism and anger over his comments is likely to further alienate a Japanese public that has grown wary of Tokyo's attempts to hold the Games during a pandemic.

Nearly 80 per cent of the Japanese public opposes holding the Games as scheduled in July, according to the most recent poll.

Australian Associated Press