Recently another theory has been believed that Emishi just made a realistic decision to solve the conflict over the succession to the Imperial Throne between a direct descendant (Tamura no Miko) of the Emperor Bidatsu who was the legitimate son of the Emperor Kinmei, and a direct descendant (Yamashiro no Oe no O) of the Emperor Yomei who was a child born out of wedlock of the Emperor Kinmei, which also caused a division of Gozoku (local ruling family) into two factions.
また近年では、欽明天皇の嫡男である敏達天皇の直系（田村皇子）と庶子である用明天皇の直系（山背大兄皇子）による皇位継承争いであり豪族達も両派に割れたために、蝦夷はその状況に対応した現実的な判断をしただけであるとする見方もある。