As governor of Okinawa, Iwamura was critical of the reforms effected by his predecessor, [[Uesugi Mochinori]], and supported a series of policies of "preserving old customs" (''[[kyukan onzon|kyûkan onzon]]''). Uesugi had put pressure on the ''[[yukatchu]]'', the traditional aristocracy, accusing them of oppressing the peasantry, and causing many of them to flee to China. Iwamura reversed many of Uesugi's policies on this matter, seeing the ''yukatchu'' as experienced bureaucrats who could be valuable members of the prefectural administration. Iwamura saw that the higher-ranking ''yukatchu'' continued to receive stipends, and provided economic aid to lower-ranking ''yukatchu'' who had not traditionally been entitled to stipends; many who had fled to China returned to Okinawa as a result of Iwamura's policies. | As governor of Okinawa, Iwamura was critical of the reforms effected by his predecessor, [[Uesugi Mochinori]], and supported a series of policies of "preserving old customs" (''[[kyukan onzon|kyûkan onzon]]''). Uesugi had put pressure on the ''[[yukatchu]]'', the traditional aristocracy, accusing them of oppressing the peasantry, and causing many of them to flee to China. Iwamura reversed many of Uesugi's policies on this matter, seeing the ''yukatchu'' as experienced bureaucrats who could be valuable members of the prefectural administration. Iwamura saw that the higher-ranking ''yukatchu'' continued to receive stipends, and provided economic aid to lower-ranking ''yukatchu'' who had not traditionally been entitled to stipends; many who had fled to China returned to Okinawa as a result of Iwamura's policies. |