At that time, there were three candidates for succession to the Imperial Throne—Imperial Prince Fushiminomiya Sadayoshi, Imperial Prince Kaninnomiya Haruhito and Haruhito's younger brother, Imperial Prince Sachinomiya Morohito—but since it was decided that the former Emperor's daughter, Princess Yoshiko, would become the Empress, Prince Haruhito was ruled out as a candidate because he was already married; consequently, Uchisaki NOKOE recommended Prince Sadayoshi and Naozane KUJO recommended Prince Morohito out of the two remaining candidates.
当時、後継候補者として伏見宮貞敬親王・閑院宮美仁親王と美仁の弟・祐宮師仁親王の3人がいたが、先帝の遺児・欣子内親王を新帝の妃にするという構想から既婚の美仁親王が候補から消え、残り2人のうち近衛内前は貞敬親王を九条尚実は師仁親王を推薦した。