Religious groups in Japan on Wednesday blasted Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori's remark that people should recognize Japan as a divine nation with the Emperor at its core.
Kenichi Otsu, a senior official of the National Christian Council in Japan, said the remark could "knock the bottom out" of Japan's constitutionally protected political system.
Mori said at a meeting Monday of pro-Shinto Diet members: "Japan is a divine nation centering on the Emperor. We have been working for 30 years to have people firmly acknowledge that."
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.