June 21, 2000
Source: BBC News
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/797614.stm
On June 21, 2000 the BBC News reported that "the Prime Minister [of Japan], Yoshiro Mori, has become an electoral liability following comments he made at a recent meeting with Pro-Shinto politicians. Mr. Mori, brought back memories of the way things used to be. He described Japan as a divine country with the emperor at its centre. This belief system was once used to justify Japanese aggression against its Asian neighbours. The reaction to his comments was overwhelmingly negative...'I think the Japanese people were shocked by his comments,' [former cabinet minister Shoichi] Nakagawa said...'The constitution says clearly that religion and politics should be separated.'"