 Shimazu knew that Konishi was trying to cause disunity within the Joseon-Ming alliance and hoped that they would be busy elsewhere or still blockading the Sunch'on "wajō" and thus vulnerable to an attack from their rear.On 15 December, a huge Japanese fleet was amassed in Sach'on Bay, on the east end of the Noryang Strait.Shimazu was not sure whether the allied fleet was continuing the blockade of Konishi's "wajō", on its way to attack an abandoned "wajō" further east or blocking their way on the western end of Noryang Strait.