Finance Minister Taro Aso has come under fire for comments that some listeners interpreted as suggesting Tokyo should look to Nazi Germany as a model in changing its pacifist constitution -- though aides deny that intent.

The reported comments from the gaffe-prone politician quickly drew criticism from a Jewish human rights group as well as from South Korea, which suffered under Japan's past militarism. Earlier this year, Mr. Aso angered Seoul by visiting a controversial Tokyo war shrine.

During a Tokyo speech Monday, Mr. Aso -- who also serves as deputy prime minister and was once prime minister -- said Japan should learn how Germany's constitution under the Weimar Republic was transformed by the Nazis before anybody realized what was happening.

"Germany's Weimar Constitution was changed before anyone noticed. It was changed before anyone was aware. Why don't we learn from that technique," Japanese media quoted Mr. Aso as saying. The comments were confirmed by his office.

His aides said Mr. Aso was in his local district on the southern island of Kyushu on Wednesday and couldn't be reached for comment. But they said his remarks were taken out of context, and Mr. Aso didn't say anything to praise Nazi Germany. Rather, he was trying to convey how discussions over constitutional revision should be conducted in a calm environment.