Kido toured Europe and America as the vice ambassador plenipotentiary of the Iwakura Mission to abrogate the unfair treaties and to conclude fair treaties as he had hoped for the opening of Japan, the abrogation of the unfair treaties, and the expulsion of the barbarians since the end of the Edo period.
木戸は、幕末以来の宿願である開国・破約攘夷つまり不平等条約の撤廃と対等条約締結のため、岩倉使節団の全権副使として欧米を回覧した。