It is considered either Kiyonari was probably executed for his involvement in the Rebellion of FUJIWARA no Hirotsugu or he died of illness before the 742 when the Yoshitsugu brothers were permitted to return to Kyoto after they had been deported.
恐らくは藤原広嗣の乱に関与したとして処刑されたか、流罪となった後に良継兄弟が帰京を許された742年を待たずに病没したものかのいずれかと考えられるのである。