After the republican-style Councillor-Cabinet System of the Meiji Government was established on June 25, 1871, Genkun who survived the Restoration and were from Satsuma, Choshu, Tosa or Hizen, were assigned to be Sangi (a councillor) which was practically the highest position.
維新後を生き延びた薩長土肥出身者の場合、明治政府の共和制的な参議内閣制が確立された1871年（明治4年）6月25日以降、実質上の最高職である参議に採用されている。