In the following year, he was ordered to return to Japan and served successively in various positions such as great secretary at the Council of State and as naimu daijo (the third highest post in the Home Ministry); thereafter, he became the councilor of the senate in 1885, taking part in the discussion of the draft Constitution of the Empire of Japan.
翌年、帰国を命じられて太政官大書記官、内務大丞などを歴任、明治18年（1885年）には元老院議官となり、大日本帝国憲法の審議にあたった。