Selection of the successor to the prime minister was complicated due to the successive declines to assume the post; Masayoshi MATSUKATA, recommended by the Satsuma clique, declined it for his old age, and Gonbei YAMAMOTO of the Satsuma clique and Tosuke HIRATA of the Yamagata faction declined it for the anticipated difficulties to manage the administration, and in the end the Imperial command was issued to Katsura to form a Cabinet.
後継首相の選定は、薩摩閥の推す松方正義が高齢を理由に辞退、同じく薩摩閥の山本権兵衛、山県閥の平田東助が政権運営の困難を理由に辞退したことで混迷し、大命は桂に降ることとなった。