 The Meiji reforms saw them lose their privileged social status under the feudal order, also eliminating their income, and the establishment of universal military conscription had replaced much of their role in the society.The very rapid modernization and Westernization of Japan was resulting in massive changes to Japanese culture, dress and society, and appeared to many samurai to be a betrayal of the ""joi" " ("Expel the Barbarian") portion of the "Sonnō jōi" justification used to overthrow the former Tokugawa shogunate.The Shinpūren was an extremist and xenophobic secret society of ex-"samurai" of the Kumamoto Domain in Higo Province led by Otaguro Tomoo, which grew out of the teachings of Hayashi Ōen.