Regarding the issue of succession to Shogun Iesada, who was in poor health, Naosuke supported Yoshitomi TOKUGAWA, lord of the Kishu Domain, and had him become the 14th shogun, Iemochi TOKUGAWA.
病弱な将軍・家定の後継問題では紀州藩主の徳川慶福を擁立して第14代将軍徳川家茂とした。