When the Empress Genmei was gravely ill in 721, he was expected to serve as the conservator of her grandson Imperial Prince Obito (the Emperor Shomu), and was appointed to this post as a person who was in charge of 'keikai-naigai, junchoku-shiko' (conveying and implementing the Imperial order).
721年、元明天皇が重態に陥ると、孫である皇太子・首皇子（後の聖武天皇）の後見役を期待されて「計会内外、准勅施行」にあたる役として任命された。