The Ouchi Clan and their Smuggling (3)

     The Kingdom of Goryeo (918-1392) and the Kingdom of Joseon (1392-1897) in the Korean Peninsula maintained the relationships with the central government of Japan, but also turned their efforts to establishing the relationships with powerful sea families and samurai families in the Northern Kyushu and along the Seto Inland Sea, while the Ming Dynasty accepted the diplomatic relations only with “the King of Japan”, in this case the Ashikaga Shogunate.  The kingdoms had to employ realistic approaches to clear Earlier Wokou away.

     Joseon accepted 2 types of official missions from Japan.  The first type was those from the King of Japan.  The second type was those from 5 “great chiefs”: 3 Shogun’s Deputies, the Shiba, Hosokawa, and Hatakeyama Clans, the Shoni Clan, and the Ouchi Clan.  The Ouchi Clan defeated the Hosokawa Clan, and diminished the Shoni Clan.  The Shiba and Hatakeyama Clans were mainly based in the Eastern Japan, and not interested in maritime affairs.  Even Joseon's official missions had to pass the Akama-ga-seki Channel, which were controlled by the Ouchi Clan, and the clan’s cooperation was inevitable.