In terms of his age and career, he could have been a key figure in Satsuma clique, but he didn't have adequate political skills except finance (his first and second cabinets both collapsed easily because of internal division), which caused him being underestimated, and for that reason, he is said to have failed to hold factions together.
年齢、キャリアからすれば薩摩閥の中核となるべき人物であったが、財政面以外での政治手腕には欠けるところがあった（2度の内閣がともに閣内分裂が理由であっけなく倒れた）ために軽んじられており、それゆえ派閥をまとめることが出来なかったといわれる。