He proposed to going to Korea himself as a Kenkan Shisetsu (Japanese official diplomatic delegate sent to Korea) himself to attempt to restore relations with the Yi Dynasty Korea due to problems there, and he was appointed as an ambassador at once, which resulted in the antagonism of Okubo who came back to Japan.
朝鮮との国交回復問題では李氏朝鮮開国を勧める遣韓使節として自らが朝鮮に赴くことを提案し、一旦大使に任命されたが、帰国した大久保らと対立する。