Ito was shocked to know that the reason of Emperor's rejection to return to public service was because the Emperor was upset about the informal appointment of Arinori MORI, a Christian, as Goyogakari (a general affairs official of the Imperial Household) which he thought was a neglect of his 'Imperial Thoughts on Education', and that the appointment was reported to the Emperor by the close advisers in the Imperial court before the government.
ところが、その背景にキリスト教の信奉者である森有礼が文部省御用掛に内定したことを天皇が「教学聖旨」を無視したものと不快感を示して公務への復帰を拒んでいたことが明らかとなり、しかもそれが政府が報告するよりも先に宮中の側近達から天皇に対して報告されていたことに伊藤は衝撃を受けたのである。