Konoe was succeeded by former Chairman of the Privy Council, Kiichiro HIRANUMA, but with the Minister of Law (and Minister of Communications and Transportation), the Internal Minister, the Foreign Minister, the Minister of Commerce (and Minister of the Colonies), the Minister of the Navy and the Minister of the Army remaining in office, and Konoe himself joining the Privy Council and becoming a minister without portfolio), Hiranuma's cabinet appeared the same as Konoe's with just a different head.
近衛の後を承けたのは前枢密院議長の平沼騏一郎だったが、平沼内閣には近衛内閣から法相（兼逓相）、文相、内相、外相、商工相（兼拓務相）、海相、陸相の七閣僚が留任したうえ、枢密院に転じた近衛自身も班列としてこれに名を連ねたため、あたかも首をすげ替えただけの様相を呈すことになった。