He also supported Takamori SAIGO and Taneomi SOEJIMA who had to resign because they insisted on the Seikanron, for he respected, as a matter of principle, 'different arguments and opinions.'
と同時に、征韓を主張したことで下野した西郷隆盛・副島種臣ら元参議に対しても「異議異見」を重んじる立場をとった。