In 1853, Toyoshige appointed Toyo to the newly established position of 'shiokiyaku' (a councilor of a shogunate), the office of an administrator, and forced domain duties to be restructured by pushing aside the chief retainer.
嘉永6年（1853年）東洋を新たに設けた「仕置役（参政職）」に任じ、家老を押しのけて藩政改革を断行した。