After that, he served in positions such as the Governorship of Echigo Prefecture, but at that time, Saionji was a young man only in his teens, and it is difficult to find reasons other than his family connections for his being able to take on such a position at such a young age.
その後は越後府知事などを歴任したが、その当時、西園寺は10代の青年であり、この若さで任官できたのは家格の後光以外に理由を見出すことは困難である。