In establishing the Shimazu clan's rule over the Kingdom of the Ryukyus, the invaders first surveyed land and imposed the obligation to pay land tax in rice. They forced King Sho Nei and his Sanshikan (high officials who took charge of state affairs and assisted the king) to submit a written pledge which promised loyalty to the Shimazu Clan. The contents of this written pledge were as follows:
"The Ryukyu Kingdom was subjugated by the Satsuma clan because of neglect of duty to the Shogunate and Shimazu Clan. Therefore, the Ryukyus were crushed once, however through the generosity of the Shimazu, the Okinawa Islands, except Amami-jima Island, are given back again. We will not forget this grace in the generations of descendants to come and will never betray the Shimazu clan."
One of the Sanshikan, Jahana Ekata, continued to refuse the unilateral nature of the pledge and was executed by Satsuma. The Shimazu Clan sent local magistrates in order to keep the Ryukyu Kingdom under observation as well as established "The Fifteen Articles" under which the Ryukyu Kingdom was controlled by the Shimazu clan.