On the other hand, in order to prevent establishment of an Imperial Government centered on Tokugawa under the sponsorship of Nijo and the Imperial Prince, members of the anti-Shogunate group including Tomomi IWAKURA, a noble, and Toshimichi OKUBO of the Satsuma Domain manipulated the 15-year-old Emperor Meiji, expelled pro-Tokugawa members of the court such as Nariyuki NIJO (the Imperial Regent) and Imperial Prince Kuninomiya Asahiko (Kuninomiya after the Meiji Restoration) and planned a coup to seize control of the Imperial Court.
一方、公家の岩倉具視や薩摩藩の大久保利通ら討幕派は、親徳川派の摂政・二条斉敬や久邇宮朝彦親王（維新後久邇宮）が主催する下で徳川中心の朝廷政府が成立することを阻止するため、満15歳の明治天皇を手中にして二条摂政や朝彦親王を排除し、朝廷を掌握するためのクーデター計画を進めた。