In 750, after Empress Koken was enthroned, FUJIWARA no Nakamaro started to wield his power and Makibi was relegated to the lower positions of Chikuzen no kami (the governor of the Chikuzen Province) and Hizen no kami (the governor of the Hizen Province), but in 751 Makibi was appointed the assistant to the Japanese envoy to Tang Dynasty of China and visited Tang in 752 where Makibi reunited with ABE no Nakamaro.
孝謙天皇即位後の750年には、藤原仲麻呂が専権し、真備は、筑前守、肥前守に左遷されたが、751年には遣唐副使となり、752年（天平勝2年）に入唐し阿倍仲麻呂と再会する。