"Even a Chosenjin Could Do It": Japanese Bobsleigh Chairman Sparks Uproar with Anti-Korean Slur During Meeting

Claims Suggest He Stated, "Korea Cannot Be Trusted"

The head of a Japanese winter sports organization has come under fire after it was belatedly revealed that he used a derogatory term against Koreans during a meeting, sparking expected controversy.

According to reports from Japanese media outlets such as HuffPost and Slow News on May 11 (local time), Kitano Takahiro, Chairman of the Japan Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation (JBLSF), used a racially discriminatory slur toward board members during a meeting held in February.

Takahiro Kitano, President of the Japanese Bobsleigh, Luge, and Skeleton Federation. Korean Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation Facebook

At that time, the Japanese men's bobsleigh national team had lost its spot at the 2026 Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo Winter Olympics due to an administrative error by the federation. Chairman Kitano began discussing countermeasures with executives. When board member A, who was in charge of performance enhancement, suggested improving the support system for the organization and athletes, Kitano reportedly lashed out with abusive language.

Kitano criticized A by saying, "This hearing is to hear your reflection. You failed to analyze anything and had no plan." He added, "Even an idiot, even a Chosenjin could analyze the results," using a slur derogatory to Koreans.

It was reported that this was not the first time Kitano had made racist remarks. The media, citing statements from federation officials, reported that Kitano had also expressed a negative stance regarding the use of the Pyeongchang Sliding Center in Korea.

The Pyeongchang Sliding Center is an international-standard sliding venue, and there had been voices within Japan calling for the use of these facilities for Winter Olympic training. However, Kitano reportedly refused, stating, "Korea cannot be trusted." Nevertheless, last month he visited the 2018 PyeongChang Memorial Foundation and discussed ways to expand cooperation and utilize the Pyeongchang Sliding Center.

There is also testimony that Kitano opposed overseas training in Korea. After the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020, the Japanese national bobsleigh team considered holding a training camp in Korea as an alternative to their annual European tours, but it was claimed that Kitano opposed this plan.

Meanwhile, Kitano has held the position of JBLSF chairman for 14 years since taking office in 2012. This means he has exceeded the federation’s 12-year term limit by two years. He is also serving as vice president of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC).

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.