Changes

The final planning stages for the invasion took place in the second lunar month of Keichô 14 (1609). On the sixth day of that month, the senior Shimazu retainers met and named [[Kabayama Hisataka]] to lead the invasion as ''sôtaishô''; [[Hirata Masamune]] would serve as his second in command. This marked the beginning of the gathering of forces for the invasion.

The final planning stages for the invasion took place in the second lunar month of Keichô 14 (1609). On the sixth day of that month, the senior Shimazu retainers met and named [[Kabayama Hisataka]] to lead the invasion as ''sôtaishô''; [[Hirata Masamune]] would serve as his second in command. This marked the beginning of the gathering of forces for the invasion.

A set of guidelines issued on 1609/2/26, entitled ''Ryûkyû tokai no gunshû hatto no jôjô'' and signed by [[Shimazu Yoshihiro]], [[Shimazu Yoshihisa|Yoshihisa]], and [[Shimazu Tadatsune|Iehisa]], along with additional instructions issued by Yoshihisa via Iehisa on 3/3, instructed Shimazu forces to withdraw from the islands as soon as their military objectives were accomplished, and to return to Satsuma no later than the fifth or sixth month. To that end, in order to help ensure the efficiency of the mission, instructions were given to avoid excessive antagonism of the common people; this included bans on desecrating palaces, shrines or temples, or by scattering Confucian materials; violence against peasants; and the kidnapping of local people. Yoshihisa seemed particularly concerned about the dangers of a protracted fight, and instructed the invasion force to engage with any peace overtures extended by the Ryukyuans, but also to burn down [[Shuri castle]] if necessary to avoid getting bogged down in a lengthy siege. Remembering the difficulties faced by Shimazu forces during Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea, when Ryûkyû refused to provide the necessary supplies demanded of them, Yoshihisa added that Shimazu forces should confiscate food from Ryukyuan peasants if necessary.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 226.</ref>  

A set of guidelines issued on 1609/2/26, entitled ''Ryûkyû tokai no gunshû hatto no jôjô'' and signed by [[Shimazu Yoshihiro]], [[Shimazu Yoshihisa|Yoshihisa]], and [[Shimazu Tadatsune|Iehisa]], along with additional instructions issued by Yoshihisa via Iehisa on 3/3, instructed Shimazu forces to withdraw from the islands as soon as their military objectives were accomplished, and to return to Satsuma no later than the fifth or sixth month. To that end, in order to help ensure the efficiency of the mission, instructions were given to avoid excessive antagonism of the common people; this included bans on desecrating palaces, shrines or temples, or by scattering Confucian materials; violence against peasants; and the kidnapping of local people. Yoshihisa seemed particularly concerned about the dangers of a protracted fight, and instructed the invasion force to engage with any peace overtures extended by the Ryukyuans, but also to burn down [[Shuri castle]] if necessary to avoid getting bogged down in a lengthy siege, and to take "local island chiefs" as hostages to help reinforce Shimazu authority over the islands henceforward. Remembering the difficulties faced by Shimazu forces during Hideyoshi's invasions of Korea, when Ryûkyû refused to provide the necessary supplies demanded of them, Yoshihisa added that Shimazu forces should confiscate food from Ryukyuan peasants if necessary.<ref>Smits, ''Maritime Ryukyu'', 226.</ref>  

In the end, the invasion would successfully adhere to its planned timeframe, securing the submission of even the outlying [[Sakishima Islands]] and departing from the Ryukyus before the end of the fifth month.

In the end, the invasion would successfully adhere to its planned timeframe, securing the submission of even the outlying [[Sakishima Islands]] and departing from the Ryukyus before the end of the fifth month.