However, Kogoro KATSURA (later Koin KIDO) and Genzui KUSAKA from the Choshu clan, and people of Sonno Joi ha, such as Izumi MAKI of Kurume, firmly opposed this policy because they thought it would lead to a restrengthening of the bakufu's power, and thus they brought down Nagai, and the Choshu clan returned to the radical Sonno Joi philosophy of restoring power to the emperor and expelling foreigners.
しかし、同藩の桂小五郎（のちの木戸孝允）や久坂玄瑞、久留米の神官・真木和泉ら尊王攘夷派は、幕府の権力強化につながるこの策に猛反対し、長井は失脚させられて、以後長州の藩論は尊王攘夷の最過激派へと転換される。