Goto changed his political attitude from Kobu-gattai (reconciliation between the imperial court and the shogunate) to Hisabaku (anti-shogunate) because the movement towards the anti-shogunate was dramatically fostered by Satsuma-Choshu Alliance, which put pressure on the leaders of Tosa Domain.
公武合体から非佐幕へと政治姿勢を転換させた背景として、時流が薩長同盟によって倒幕へ傾斜したことに対する土佐藩の焦りが挙げられる。