The Japanese Hirobumi ITO cabinet had run out of policies during the fierce confrontation with the Diet (because the bill of the cabinet impeachment report to the throne was adopted on May 30) and tried to break the deadlock by resorting to an external hard-line policy.
日本の伊藤博文内閣は議会との激しい対立（5月30日、内閣弾劾上奏案可決）により政治的に行き詰まっており、対外的に強硬にでて事態打開をはかろうとした。