Although the Roju Masayoshi HOTTA tried to break the deadlock by using his authority in the Imperial Court, he could not obtain Imperial sanctions from Emperor Komei since members of the sonjo (royalist) party in Kyoto including Unpin UMEDA prevented it.
老中・堀田正睦は朝廷の権威を借りて事態の打開を図ろうとしたが、梅田雲浜ら在京の尊攘派の工作もあり、孝明天皇から勅許を得ることは出来なかった。