In 1864, the Choshu Domain was consecutively hit by troubles, such as the Kinmon Incident, the Shimonoseki War, and the Choshu-Bakufu War, and this series of misadventures lead the belligerent war faction (mainly formed by the "Choshu Justice Party" [reformists of the Choshu clan]) to lose in a power struggle with the deference faction (mainly formed by conventional party).
1864年（元治元年）、長州藩は禁門の変、下関戦争、長幕戦争と厄続きであったため、藩内の政権闘争で主戦派（主に長州正義派）が恭順派（主に俗論派）に敗れた。