Owing to an epidemic, in 996, when a drastic shuffle of court personnel including Kugyo (the top court officials) was carried out, FUJIWARA no Michinaga came to take leadership as the Minister of the Left and Masamitsu's elder brother FUJIWARA no Akimitsu sat next to Michinaga as the Minister of the Right.
長徳2年（996年）、疫病の流行などで公卿が大幅に入れ替わるとともに、藤原道長が左大臣として首班となると、正光の兄の藤原顕光が次席の右大臣となった。