He struggled to present imperial proclamation of daijo-tenno-go (name of the retired emperor) to Imperial Prince Kaninnomiya Sukehito, father of the Emperor, but Edo bakufu (Japanese feudal government headed by a shogun) denied and the situation grew entangled (so called "Songo ikken" [Songo Incident]).
天皇の父閑院宮閑院宮典仁親王に対し太上天皇号を宣下することに腐心したが、江戸幕府はこれを認めず事態は紛糾した（いわゆる「尊号一件」）。