 On May 6 the Japanese government landed a small force commanded by Douglas Cassel to select a campsite fortified by the sea.Four days later, more Japanese troops landed, and on May 15 Cassel acted as a negotiator to Chief Issa, head of the Island's sixteen southern tribes.Chief Issa stated the "Botans" were out of his control, and gave the Japanese his consent to punish them as they wished.