On 1 June 1894, rumors reached the Donghaks that the Chinese and Japanese were on the verge of sending troops, and so the rebels agreed to a ceasefire with the Joseon government to remove any grounds for foreign intervention. On 2 June, the Japanese cabinet decided to send troops to Korea if China did the same. In May, the Chinese took steps to prepare for the mobilization of their forces in the provinces of
Zhili,
Shandong, and Manchuria. However, those actions were planned more as an armed demonstration to strengthen the Chinese position in Korea than as preparation for war against Japan. On 3 June,
King Gojong, on the recommendation of the Min clan and at the insistence of
Yuan Shikai, requested aid from the Chinese government in suppressing the Donghak Rebellion. Although the rebellion was not as serious as it had initially seemed and so the Chinese forces were not necessary, the Qing government decided to send 2,500 men under the command of General
Ye Zhichao to the harbor of
Asan, about from Seoul. The troops destined for Korea sailed onboard three British-owned steamers chartered by the Chinese government, arriving at Asan on 9 June. On 25 June, an additional 400 troops had arrived. Consequently, Ye Zhichao had about 2,800–2,900 soldiers under his command at Asan by the end of June. Closely watching the events on the peninsula, the Japanese government had quickly become convinced that the rebellion would lead to Chinese intervention in Korea. As a result, soon after learning of the Korean government's request for Chinese military help, all Japanese warships in the vicinity were immediately ordered to
Pusan and
Chemulpo. By 9 June, Japanese warships had consecutively
called at Chemulpo and Pusan. A formation of 420 sailors, selected from the crews of warships anchored in Chempulo, was immediately dispatched to Seoul, where they served as a temporary counterbalance to the Chinese troops camped at Asan. Simultaneously, a reinforced brigade of approximately 8,000 soldiers of the IJA 9th Infantry Brigade, also known as the Oshima Composite Brigade, under the command of General
Ōshima Yoshimasa, was also dispatched to Chemulpo by 27 June and then to
Yongsan. The Japanese countered by sending an expeditionary force to Korea. The first 400 troops arrived on 9 June
en route to
Seoul, and 3,000 landed at
Incheon on 12 June. However, Japanese officials denied any intention to intervene. As a result, the Qing viceroy
Li Hongzhang "was lured into believing that Japan would not wage war, but the Japanese prepared to act." The Qing government turned down Japan's suggestion for Japan and China to co-operate to reform the Korean government. Japanese Minister Plenipotentiary to Korea
Ōtori Keisuke requested Gojong establish an electric cable between Hanseong and Busan for military use and a barracks to house their troops. They also demanded the withdrawal of Qing troops and cancellation of the
China–Korea Treaty of 1882 and other trade agreements concluded between them. The Joseon government rejected their requests and demanded Japan and the Qing withdraw their troops, proclaiming that they would push for reforms without them. They established the
Gyojeongcheong or the Board of Review and Rectification to carry out their program of reforms. ==Battle==