Moreover, it is said that he strongly warned himself against political participation, so while he was serving as the Grand Chamberlain, he refrained himself from talking in nonpublic occasions with his real younger brother Kinmochi SAIONJI, who became working in the political world.
また、自らの政治的関与も強く戒めて侍従長在任中は政界に転じた実弟の西園寺公望とは公の場所以外では会話しなかったと言われている。