In June of 1981, even though there were more than a few supporters of Shonyo, he lost the dispute to the Naikyoku, and the 'Shuken (constitution) of Shin Sect Otani School (religious laws which are equivalent to constitutions in the School)' was revised, and his position shifted from 'Hoshu', which is the absolute leader of the religious order who succeeds to the traditions originating from Shinran, the founder, to 'Monshu,' who is a symbolic representative of monks and followers of the entire order but does not hold any authority.
1981年6月、彰如を支持する者も少なくなかったが、内局との紛争に敗れ、「真宗大谷派宗憲（宗派の憲法にあたる法規）」が改正され、自身の地位が、宗祖親鸞以来の法統を継承する教団の指導者という絶対的「法主」から、教団全ての僧侶・門徒の代表という実権を持たない象徴的「門首」へと移行された。