When Yoshimasa (or Yoshiyuki) SHIBA, the Kanrei of the bakufu, and his father Takatsune SHIBA were brought down by a conspiracy involving Doyo and his allies (an event known as Joji Coup), Yoriyuki was ordered to return to the shogunate, and in 1367, immediately before the death of the second Shogun Yoshiakira ASHIKAGA, asumed the post of Kanrei and with the support of the anti-Shiba faction, including Doyo and the Akamatsu clan.
幕府の管領となっていた斯波義将、父の斯波高経が道誉らの策謀で失脚(貞治の政変)すると頼之は幕府に召還され、道誉、赤松氏ら反斯波派の支持で1367年（正平22年/貞治6年）2代将軍足利義詮の死の直前に管領に就任する。