Some in the Shogunate had the view that they should acquire Imperial permission from the Imperial Court in order to sign a treaty with a foreign country, and a decision was made to seek the judgment of the Imperial Court on whether to maintain the sakoku policy (seclusion) or an open-door policy.
外国との条約締結を巡り幕府では朝廷に勅許を求めるべきであるとする意見が出され、鎖国政策を維持するか、開国するかにあたり朝廷の判断を仰ぐ事となった。