The Shimazu clan at that time lacked sufficient knowledge regarding the situation in the Kyoto-Osaka district, so it had no choice but to join the Western Army; it was their regret over this decision that resulted in the Satsuma clan starting to show signs of becoming an independent realm, placing spies in various regions and trying to strengthen its ability to collect information.
当時の島津氏は上方の情勢に疎かったがために西軍に付かざるを得ない状況となり、この反省から、以後薩摩藩は独立王国の様相を呈し始め、各地に密偵を配置し、情報収集力の増強に努めた。