Stories of the Japanese 00532 [Early Kamakura Period] The Imperial Permission of Bunji

Since negotiations with the "Great Tengu of Japan" seemed likely to be difficult, Yoritomo decided to send his close aide, Hojo Tokimasa, to the capital. Tokimasa arrived in Kyoto on November 24, 1185 (the first year of Bunji).
On November 28, Hojo Tokimasa visited the Cloistered Emperor and petitioned for the establishment of shugo (constables) and jito (land stewards) under the pretext of "pursuing Yoshitsune."
A shugo is an official placed in each province. While the Imperial Court already had provincial governors (kokushi) as local administrative bodies, the Kamakura forces led by Yoritomo argued that they needed to place shugo in each province on the grounds that it was "necessary to arrest the rebel Yoshitsune." In reality, these shugo served not only the purpose of pursuing Yoshitsune but also as a foothold for the Kamakura Shogunate to exert influence over local administration.
On the other hand, jito were officials placed in each manor (shoen). By the decree of October 1183, Yoritomo had already obtained the right to collect annual taxes from manors in the eastern provinces, and he argued that jito were necessary to ensure the thorough collection of these taxes.
This was approved on November 29, and the Kamakura forces established a system to control the eastern provinces. This is known as the "Imperial Permission of Bunji," and most current history textbooks take the view that this marks the establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate. It has shifted from "Let's build a good country (1192) Kamakura Shogunate" to "Let's build a good box (1185) Kamakura Shogunate."
The establishment of shugo and jito was originally suggested to Yoritomo by Oe no Hiromoto. Oe no Hiromoto was a court noble, thought by some to be the great-grandson of Oe no Masafusa, who became a bureaucrat serving Yoritomo because he believed he could not advance in the Imperial Court due to his low status.
What was remarkable about Yoritomo was his ability to scout many such literary bureaucrats from the capital and employ them in important positions. Many of the Kamakura Shogunate's retainers at the time, even those in leadership roles, could not read or write. To issue orders from Yoritomo to his retainers or to negotiate with the Imperial Court, it was essential to have personnel who were well-versed in the culture of the capital and capable of drafting documents according to formal standards.
Among the literary bureaucrats scouted by Yoritomo, the most important was Oe no Hiromoto, but others also served him, such as:
・Miyoshi Yasunobu (1140–1221)
・Nakahara Nakanari
and others.
Now, having obtained the Imperial Permission of Bunji, Hojo Tokimasa began to interfere further in the personnel affairs of the Imperial Court. On December 6, he pressured the Cloistered Emperor Go-Shirakawa to dismiss 14 officials, including Takashina Yasutsune, and had this approved on the 17th.
Even more significant was the fact that he had Kujo Kanezane's appointment as Nairan (an official who reviews documents before they reach the Emperor) approved on December 28. Since Kujo Kanezane had kept his distance from both the Taira clan and Kiso Yoshinaka, it is believed that Yoritomo and Tokimasa saw him as someone they could win over.