By a curious coincidence, Okubo was assassinated in the same year, which led Okuma, who became the head Councilor, to run the government in cooperation with Hirobumi ITO, who succeeded the post of Secretary of Interior from Okubo, with Tomomi IWAKURA as the Minister of the Right.
奇しくもこの年に大久保が暗殺され、筆頭参議となった大隈は大久保の後を受けて内務卿となった伊藤博文とともに、右大臣岩倉具視を擁しながら政府を運営することになった。