Masataka UWAYOKOTE poses a question on the credibility of "Azuma Kagami" elaborated by the Kamakura bakufu, and he opposed to the common theory, that is, Yoshitsune's acceptance of the title without his brother's permission was a result of an evil design of Goshirakawa, and with this strategy he tried to divide Yoshitsune from Yoritomo and Yoshitsune was trapped by it.
上横手雅敬は鎌倉幕府編纂である『吾妻鏡』に疑問を呈し、義経の無断任官問題が老獪な後白河が義経を利用して頼朝との離反を計り、義経がそれに乗せられた結果であるとする通説を批判している。