Although he was nominated as a candidate for the Prime Minister more than once, he refused to run for it because his brother, Takamori, suffered the disgrace of rebel (Iwao OYAMA did the same).
首相候補に再三推されたが、兄隆盛が逆賊の汚名を受けたことを理由に断り続けた（大山巌も同様）。