The 83-year-old former Prime Minister stepped down seven years after being appointed president of the organising body by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.

Mori made the announcement at a special meeting of its executive members.

Olympics minister Seiko Hashimoto said at a press conference that she received a phone call from Mori on Thursday morning and was told of his planned resignation, Kyodo News reported."The government will make further efforts to restore trust and firmly disseminate the big concept of diversity and harmony, both domestically and internationally," Hashimoto said.On February 3, Mori complained about what he believes is women's tendency to talk too much and to have "a strong sense of rivalry" when he was asked about increasing gender diversity among board members of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC).However, a day later he issued an apology but insisted that he has no plan to step down.