The second Ito cabinet became wary of the situation with the signing of the Anglo-Japanese Treaty of Commerce and Navigation near at hand, and the Liberal Party, which was the first party of the House of Representatives, strengthened the opposition from supporting the government's idea of step-by-step revisions to the treaty.
これに対して日英通商航海条約の締結を間近に控えた第2次伊藤内閣は警戒感を強め、また衆議院第1党の自由党も条約改正に関しては政府の漸進主義に賛同していたために反発を強めた。