Although he enjoyed political advantages as the second son of FUJIWARA no Morosuke, an influential politician of the time, he had possessed a bitter hatred against his brother, Kaneie, and ever since he was appointed as Kanpaku (Chief Adviser to the Emperor) under the will of Empress Anshi, Kanemichi's younger sister and Emperor Enyu's mother when his elder brother, Koretada, who was the Imperial Regent, who died at an early age, Kanemichi tried to prevent the success of Kaneie on every possible occasion.
実力者藤原師輔の二男として有利な立場にあったが、従来から激しく憎んでおり、長兄の摂政伊尹が早世したとき、兼通の妹で円融天皇の生母だった中宮安子の遺命により関白に抜擢され、それからことごとく妨害した。