He worked to sideline the royalty and the noro (female priestesses central to Ryukyuan religion), not out of a desire for power, or to suppress native religion, but in order to cut down on extravagance and on practices which could be perceived as undignified to the Japanese.
To curtail extravagance and practices perceived as undignified by Japanese society, he worked to limit the influence of the royalty and the female priestesses (noro) central to Ryukyuan religion. This was not motivated by a desire for power or to suppress native faith.