Setting aside the question about his real power, SANJO had always strived to organize everything as head seat of new Meiji government since the System of Departments of State was introduced in 1869, but it was four years earlier that it was put an end by the introduction of cabinet system led by Hirobumi ITO.
三條は1869年（明治2年）に太政官制太政官制が導入されて以来、実権はさておき、名目上は常に明治新政府の首班として諸事万端を整えることに努めてきたが、伊藤博文の主導する内閣制度の導入によってこれに終止符が打たれたのはこの4年前のことだった。