Also, he overruled the former government's view which had considered it a private case between an enterprise and the local people, and expressed his opinion that it was a public pollution case that needed the nation's involvement, and after he returned from his tour, he explained its importance to Shigenobu OKUMA and set up an investigative committee to start the movement to propose drastic measures for the future, while he took the responsibility on himself and resigned.
また、企業と地元民の間の私的な事件であるとしてきたそれまでの政府の見解を覆し、国が対応すべき公害であるとの立場を明確にし帰郷後、大隈重信らにその重要性を説諭、鉱毒調査委員会を設置し、後の抜本的な対策に向けて先鞭をつけ、自身は引責辞任した。