As a member of the Imperial family related to the Emperor Tenchi, he had nothing to do with the succession to the throne because after the Jinshin War, the lineage of the Emperor Tenmu acceded to the throne.
壬申の乱後、天武天皇皇統が皇位を継承する事となった為、天智天皇系皇族であった彼は皇位継承とは全く無縁だった。