Kiyama postpones choosing sides

Lord Kiyama’s decision to postpone choosing sides preserves his freedom of action as war approaches. Though urged to support Toranaga, he refuses to ally with either contender for now; his agreement to release Blackthorne rests instead on Mariko’s standing and Blackthorne’s status as a samurai.

Pressure to Choose

Dell’Aqua had urged Lord Kiyama to choose Toranaga, speaking through Brother Michael because he did not trust his own Japanese. Kiyama rejected the appeal as unwarranted interference in Japanese affairs and outside Dell’Aqua’s jurisdiction. He also insisted that Blackthorne must die. Dell’Aqua used his diplomatic skill, but Kiyama remained adamant and would neither change his position nor commit himself to Toranaga.

The pressure was not simply a matter of which lord to support. Dell’Aqua privately understood the approaching war as an immediate threat, and saw time for the Portuguese Black Ships as a stake in the decision. He also considered the Jesuits’ choice between Toranaga and Ishido and the delicacy of their position in Japan. His appeal to Kiyama therefore belonged to a larger effort to protect the Church’s interests, not just to settle Blackthorne’s fate.

A Deliberate Delay

The following morning, Dell’Aqua went to Kiyama to report that Blackthorne had been neutralized. Kiyama said he had considered Dell’Aqua’s advice, but still would not ally himself with Toranaga. Instead, he would watch both contenders carefully and choose at the proper time. The statement leaves his future allegiance open: refusing Toranaga now is not the same as choosing Ishido.

Kiyama’s pause is an active political stance, not indecision without consequence. By withholding commitment, he retains room to judge how the contest develops before exposing himself through an alliance. Dell’Aqua’s report that Blackthorne had been neutralized offered a glimmer of hope, but it did not mean Kiyama had accepted the Jesuit’s political counsel.

The Grounds for Release

Kiyama nevertheless consented to let Blackthorne go. He made clear that this was not because of Dell’Aqua’s argument: he acted to honor Mariko, and because Blackthorne was a samurai. The distinction separates Kiyama’s judgment of a person from the political choice he continues to defer. Blackthorne could be released without Kiyama pledging himself to Toranaga or accepting Dell’Aqua’s direction.

Ferriera still questioned whether Blackthorne remained a threat to the Portuguese and the Church. Dell’Aqua did not offer him a satisfying explanation; instead, he wished Ferriera safe travels and took the pilot toward his galley. The exchange leaves Kiyama’s reasons for release clear while preserving the uncertainty around his eventual allegiance—and around the danger Ferriera believed Blackthorne still posed.