Tokyo 2020: Olympics opening ceremony director sacked over 1998 Holocaust joke

22 July 2021, 06:12 | Updated: 22 July 2021, 06:21

Kentaro Kobayashi (seen on poster, left) is introduced in 2019 as a show director for the Olympics and Paralympics
Kentaro Kobayashi (seen on poster, left) is introduced in 2019 as a show director for the Olympics and Paralympics. Picture: Alamy

By Asher McShane

The director of the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics has been fired after being accused of making a joke about the Holocaust over 20 years ago.

Kentaro Kobayashi is understood to have made the comment in a comedy show in 1998 with clips being shared on social media in Japan.

He was accused of using a joke about the Holocaust in a comedy act as part of TV comedy duo Rahmens in 1998, including the phrase: "Let's play Holocaust."

Mr Kobayashi had been appointed as director for the opening and closing ceremonies after his predecessor quit for making a derogatory remark about a popular female Japanese entertainer.

Kobayashi's dismissal comes one day before the start of the opening ceremony.

Japan's Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto said: “We’re currently investigating how to conduct tomorrow’s opening ceremony.”

Earlier this week, a composer whose music is expected to be used in the event was forced to resign over allegations of bullying.

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