Okubo took it as a good opportunity to restore Kido to the government for the purpose to alleviate the criticisms against his political supremacy, and so he agreed to meet Kido; however, he did not consider it necessary to bring Itagaki back to the government, so he did not meet him at the beginning.
大久保は、木戸を政府へ復帰させることにより、自らの権力集中に対する批判を和らげる良い機会と考え、この会談に応じたが、板垣に対しては政権に復帰させる必要性を感じていなかったので、当初大久保・板垣両者は面会にいたらなかった。