The Emperor Kotoku became very angry and thought about the abdication of the throne, however, he fell ill when his new palace in Yamazaki (present-day Oto-gun Kyoto Prefecture) was in the course of construction, and passed away at Naniwa Imperial residence on November 27, 654.
天皇はこれを恨み退位も考えたが、山碕（後の京都府乙訓郡）に宮殿を造営中に病に倒れ、白雉5年10月10日(旧暦)（654年）に難波の宮殿で崩御した。