Michio MAEZONO (Professor, Nara College of Arts) and Taichiro SHIRAISHI (Professor, Nara University) argue that it is highly possible Prince Anahobe (uncle of Prince Taishi, assassinated by SOGA no Umako) and Prince Yakabe (prince of the Emperor Senka) are the ones that were buried in this tumulus, because the tumulus was built when an assassination happened in June 587 according to "Nihonshoki" (Chronicles of Japan).
前園実知雄（奈良芸術短期大学教授）や白石太一郎（奈良大学教授）は、2人の被葬者が『日本書紀』が記す587年6月の暗殺時期と一致する事などから、聖徳太子の叔父で蘇我馬子に暗殺された穴穂部皇子と、宣化天皇の皇子ともされる宅部皇子の可能性が高い事を論じている。