It is said that Ministry of Education said, "we would not accept anyone without sufficient academic background as a professor even he were Oshakasama (Buddha) or Confucius"; Kano pushed his idea, saying "I will resign if Ministry of Education does not accept Naito." (There are various theories as to this and there are some differences in their statements.)
このとき、「お釈迦様でも孔子でも学歴のない人間は（教授として）認めない」とさえ文部省側は言ったといわれているが、狩野が遂に「内藤をとらぬならおれもやめる」と押し通してしまったという（この辺りの双方のやり取りは諸説あるところで発言内容には異同がある）。