 The Japanese forces in Korea were ordered to withdraw back to Japan by the new governing Council of Five Elders.Due to the presence of Joseon and Ming ships, the Japanese garrisons in the "wajō" could not retreat and stayed in the relative safety of their forts.The Sunch'on "wajō" was the westernmost Japanese fortress and contained 14,000 troops commanded by Konishi Yukinaga, who was the leader of Japan's vanguard contingent during the first invasion, in 1592.