However, some people from Yamaguchi Prefecture and that area, which produced many Imperial loyalists, regard Shinsen-gumi as "a group of terrorists employed by the shogunate " (Masuo MATSUOKA, member of the House of Councilors/taken from his speech at the National Diet, during his time in office).
ただし、勤皇の志士たちを多く輩出した山口県などを出身とする人々には彼らを「幕府に雇われたテロリスト集団」として位置づける人もいる（松岡滿壽男参議院議員・当時の国会での発言より）。