Days after Yoshiro Mori stepped down as the head of the Tokyo Olympics organising committee over his “inappropriate” remarks about women, a panel has started the search for a new boss. On Tuesday, an eight-person committee met for the first time to discuss who will be succeeding 83-year-old Mori. During the meeting, the panel “discussed the qualities required of a new president” and agreed on five selection criteria, AFP reported, quoting the Tokyo 2020 organisers. This criteria comes amid calls for more transparency in the selection process.

Mori resigned on Friday after his comments that women talk too much in meetings sparked a global stir. 

“My inappropriate statement has caused a lot of chaos. I would like to express my sincere apologies. I wish to resign as the president as of today. What is important is to hold the Olympics from July. It must not be the case that my presence becomes an obstacle to that,” Mori said at a meeting of the Tokyo 2020 executive board and council called to discuss the remarks. 

Following this, the panel, headed by 85-year-old Canon CEO Fujio Mitarai, was formed. Their attempts to hand-pick 84-year-old Saburo Kawabuchi as his successor was met with opposition.

“Now they say they won’t reveal who the members are of the committee to choose the next chief,” Kazuko Fukuda, a campaigner for women’s sexual and reproductive rights, told AFP.

“So it’s really like the whole process will take place in secret again.”