The Emperor appointed Kanemichi as the chancellor, following his mother's will, but after that Kanemichi became very ill in 977 and the Emperor appointed FUJIWARA no Yoritada, a distant relative, to take over Kanemichi's position, since that was Kanemichi's wish.
天皇は亡母の遺訓に従って兼通を関白に任じて、さらに貞元2年（977年）に関白兼通が重病に陥ると、兼通の要望に従って遠縁の藤原頼忠を後任とした。