After the Sino-Japanese War, he also gained favor with Aritomo YAMAGATA and became greatly influential when he became councilor for the Privy Council in 1899.
日清戦争以降は山縣有朋の知遇をも得て、1899年（明治32年）枢密顧問官となり枢密院でも大きな影響力をもった。