Photo/Illutration Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura, left, puts an Olympic gold medal between his teeth after softball player Miu Goto, right, showed it off during a courtesy visit at city hall on Aug. 4. (Kenji Seki)

Japanese women's softball gold medalist Miu Goto will soon get a pristine medal, one that Nagoya Mayor Takashi Kawamura hasn't put in his mouth. 

Tokyo Olympic organizers will replace Goto's gold medal, which was bitten by Kawamura during a courtesy call on Aug. 4, with a new one, according to sources.

Kawamura, 72, has been under fire for abruptly chomping down on the gold medal when Goto, 20, a member of the Japanese women’s Olympic softball team, visited city hall.

In the face of strong protests online, Kawamura apologized at a news conference the following day for his behavior and his “lack of consideration.” He said he did not mean to harass Goto.

Toyota Motor Corp., a top sponsor of the Summer Games and the owner of a softball team Goto belongs to, took the incident seriously and asked Olympic organizers to replace the medal with a new one, the sources said.

The International Olympic Committee and the Tokyo Games organizing committee were making arrangements to grant the request after confirming that it was in line with Goto’s wishes, according to the sources. The IOC will shoulder the expense.

“She won the medal with her Olympic teammates and they put it around her neck,” said a source close to Olympic organizers. “The issue won’t be settled simply by replacing the medal with a new one. Kawamura bears a heavy responsibility.”

The city received 7,479 emails and phone calls expressing their displeasure with the mayor's actions by the morning of Aug. 12, according to officials. Toyota also issued a statement on Aug. 5, admonishing the mayor’s behavior.

Kawamura told reporters on Aug. 12 that he supports Olympic organizers’ decision to replace Goto’s medal with a new one.

“I’m waiting for instructions from the IOC,” he said. “I want the organizers to grant the athlete’s wishes as much as possible.”

Kawamura also said he told Yasuhiro Yamashita, president of the Japanese Olympic Committee, that he wants to cover the necessary expense.

“I sincerely apologize for making her feel uncomfortable,” Kawamura said. “I deeply regret what I did.”

But he declined to say whether he will respond to calls on social media to resign.

“I can’t say anything irresponsible,” he said. “It’s an extremely serious matter, considering the people who voted for me.”

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