Although the Northern House of the Fujiwara clan had conducted policy as a regent or chief adviser to the Emperor since the time of FUJIWARA no Yoshifusa, their regency is considered to have still been in the developmental stage and was distinguished from the early regency.
それ以前の藤原良房の時から藤原北家が摂政・関白に就いて執政してきたが、発展段階の摂関政治だったとして初期摂関政治と区別されている。