A gaffe-prone Japanese minister apologized Wednesday for comments he made expressing his disappointment over swimming star Rikako Ikee's leukemia diagnosis, saying they were insensitive to the gold medal hopeful at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Yoshitaka Sakurada, the minister in charge of the Olympics and Paralympics, retracted comments he made the previous day that were taken to mean he is placing more importance on Japan's success at the Summer Games, rather than her illness, which elicited a huge backlash from the public and politicians.

Hours after the 18-year-old swimming sensation revealed her illness on Tuesday, Sakurada told some reporters, "She is a potential gold medalist, an athlete of whom we have great expectations. I'm really disappointed."

Ikee, whose personality and looks have attracted fans at home and abroad, is now hospitalized and receiving treatment.

"I lacked consideration," Sakurada said in a parliamentary panel session. "I apologize and withdraw (the remarks)."

Sakurada is no stranger to controversy. Doubling as the government's cybersecurity strategy chief, he admitted last November that he does not use a computer.

On Wednesday, in his latest controversy, Sakurada, while attending the parliamentary session, said he has heard of the Olympic Charter but has never read it.

In the past, he was admonished for saying that women forced into wartime Japanese military brothels were "prostitutes by occupation."

Opposition politicians and Ikee's fans have called for Sakurada's resignation, describing his comments as "heartless."

However, Sakurada told the lower house Budget Committee he has no plans to step down.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe also rejected calls for Sakurada's resignation, saying he hopes the minister will "fulfill his duties."

"This is terrible. Is this the type of comment that Cabinet members should make? It is symbolic of the character of Prime Minister (Shinzo) Abe's administration," said Yuichiro Tamaki, leader of the Democratic Party for the People.

"He cannot empathize with someone suffering from a terrible illness," said Yukio Edano, who heads the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.

On Tuesday, Sakurada said, "I hope that she will focus on her treatment and do her best. I want to see her well."

"When one person leads, she can rouse the whole team. I am slightly worried that this type of excitement can wane," the 69-year-old added.

The minister also tried to defend himself afterward. "Her recovery is the most important thing. I would like her to focus on her treatment and get better as soon as possible," he told Kyodo News when trying to explain his comments.

But fans of Ikee, who holds multiple national records, ripped into the minister on social media, calling for his resignation while expressing their support for the swimmer.

"Isn't it normal for a minister to apologize and resign?" asked one.

"Most people want (Ikee) to just get better more than (they care about) Olympics or medals. That's the only thing that matters and we don't need unnecessary comments," wrote another fan.

Since the announcement of her diagnosis, messages of support and encouragement have been pouring in for Ikee, who won an unprecedented six gold medals at the 2018 Asian Games and became the first female athlete to be named MVP at the region's biggest multisport event.

Actor Ken Watanabe, who was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia in 1989, said, "Although I know little about the situation surrounding you, I hope you will look forward and take your time getting treatment, believing in today's medicine and your own vital strength."


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