In August 1466, Yoshimasa gave him the position as the head of the SHIBA clan and appointed him as the shugo (military governor) of the three provinces: Owari, Totomi and Echizen.
文正元年（1466年）7月には、義敏に対して、斯波家家督を与え、尾張国・遠江国・越前国3ヶ国の守護に任じた。