On the other hand, Vice Admiral KAWAMURA returned from Kagoshima to Tokyo and reported to the government that Saigo's army was approaching to censure the government; and on February 19, the government issued an Imperial edict to defeat the rebels of Kagoshima and formally decided to dispatch troops against Saigo's army.
一方、鹿児島から帰京した川村中将から西郷軍の問罪出兵の報を得た政府は2月19日、鹿児島県逆徒征討の詔を発し、正式に西郷軍への出兵を決定した。