I think it was:

  "2000 since 1990" first time I heard it 
  "2000 and stopped there" during 2010s
  "2000 since 1980" lately, post-COVID

and I don't like it. I'm not offended though I yearn for Japan 2000 through rosy glasses, I don't like that COVID set back people's expectations from the concept of year 2000 by a decade.

The way I heard it phrased is "Japan has been living in the year 2000 since 1980"

Been here since 1998. Can confirm. ;-)