It is said that the book went out of print because the TOKUGAWA family and followers of Shogun were so outraged at the contents of the book that they threatened the publisher, Minyu Company, and its manager, Soho TOKUTOMI, who ultimately succumbed to the pressure because he wanted to become a member of Kizokuin (the House of Peers).
絶版となった理由は、その著書の内容に憤激した徳川氏一族や旧徳川氏の幕臣が、民友社に圧力をかけたためという説や、徳富蘇峰が貴族院議員就任を目指しており、貴族院に多数存在する徳川家関係者に遠慮したためとも言われる。