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So is the Dokai Koshuki an accurate report?  Can the assertions stated therein be unconditionally accepted as fact without critical review?  If so, then an implication can be made that people, not only in Japan but around the world, have been celebrating an incompetent and selfish daimyo and a band of murderous ronin; these outlaw ronin attacked a hatamoto official whose only dereliction may have consisted of attempting to perform his normal duties toward an unwieldy and uncooperative daimyo.  

So is the Dokai Koshuki an accurate report?  Can the assertions stated therein be unconditionally accepted as fact without critical review?  If so, then an implication can be made that people, not only in Japan but around the world, have been celebrating an incompetent and selfish daimyo and a band of murderous ronin; these outlaw ronin attacked a hatamoto official whose only dereliction may have consisted of attempting to perform his normal duties toward an unwieldy and uncooperative daimyo.  

Evidence does exist about Kira Yoshinaka’s propensity for greed and unduly desiring “gifts” i.e. bribes.  Two Confucian scholars who were contemporary to the time left observations about Kira Yoshinaka and his arrogance and propensity for greed. One of these scholars, Sato Naokata Naokata (1650 - 1719), was a critic of Asano Naganori and his former retainers. Thus there are no motives for Naokata to unfairly impugn Kira's character. However, he characterizes Kira as "born to be greedy, and he was detested by everyone for his arrogance, conceit, and evil mind" The other scholar, Asami Yasusade (1562 - 1711), states that Kira "appears not to have cared, because of his personal greed and willfulness, whether or not [Asano] Takuminokami committed clumsy errors, and made him disgrace himself in front of people in the Palace of Splendor."   

Evidence does exist about Kira Yoshinaka’s arrogance, greed, and desire for "gifts" i.e. bribes.  Two Confucian scholars who were contemporary to the time left observations about Kira Yoshinaka and his arrogance and propensity for greed. One of these scholars, Sato Naokata Naokata (1650 - 1719), was a critic of Asano Naganori and his former retainers. Thus there are no motives for Naokata to unfairly impugn Kira's character. However, he characterizes Kira as "born to be greedy, and he was detested by everyone for his arrogance, conceit, and evil mind" The other scholar, Asami Yasusade (1562 - 1711), states that Kira "appears not to have cared, because of his personal greed and willfulness, whether or not [Asano] Takuminokami committed clumsy errors, and made him disgrace himself in front of people in the Palace of Splendor."   

Kira Yoshinaka’s desire for such gifts, and his alleged mistreatment of Asano Naganori for failure to produce sufficient bribes are usually given as the motive for Asano’s original attack on him within the Shogun’s palace; in reality, the motive can only be speculated as there are no eyewitness accounts of the dispute that caused Asano to act as he did toward Kira.  Some have claimed that Kira Yoshinaka has been unduly smeared by the historians, playwrights, and film-makers who have tried to build motives for the Ako ronin’s attack upon him.   

Kira Yoshinaka’s desire for such gifts, and his alleged mistreatment of Asano Naganori for failure to produce sufficient bribes are usually given as the motive for Asano’s original attack on him within the Shogun’s palace; in reality, the motive can only be speculated as there are no eyewitness accounts of the dispute that caused Asano to act as he did toward Kira.  Some have claimed that Kira Yoshinaka has been unduly smeared by the historians, playwrights, and film-makers who have tried to build motives for the Ako ronin’s attack upon him.