Descriptions in the Kojiki and the Nihon Shoki after the enthronement of Emperor Jinmu are limited to the Kinai region (region around Kyoto and Nara) and its surrounding areas until Emperor Sujin, after whose enthronement descriptions of events in various other areas in Japan appear. Based on these descriptions, some of those who regard the eight undocumented generations of emperors as genuine historical figures argue that the ancient Yamato government was a local power during the period between Emperor Jinmu and Emperor Kaika and established its power nationwide only in the generation of Emperor Sujin.
欠史八代を史実の反映と見る立場からは、書紀の記述によると、神武天皇が畿内で即位後は畿内周辺の狭い領域のことしか出てこないが、崇神天皇の代になって初めて、日本の広範囲の出来事の記述が出てくるので、神武天皇から開化天皇までは畿内の地方政権の域を出ず、崇神天皇の代になって初めて日本全国規模の政権になったのではと考える説もある。