Because Emperor Konoe was not well and had no children, the chancellor (chief advisor to the emperor), Tadamichi, asked the approval of the Cloistered Emperor Toba for Sonno (the grandson of the Emperor) to succeed the throne in 1153; Bifuku mon in also supported it, since she was concerned about Emperor Sutoku starting his cloister government.
近衛は病弱で子もいなかったことから、仁平3年（1153年）関白・忠通が鳥羽法皇に孫王への譲位を奏請し、美福門院も崇徳の院政への危惧から孫王の擁立に傾いていった。