Because the lord of Echizen Province Nagahide NIWA had already died in May of the same year, Toshiie was promoted to a post that could be regarded as Soshoku (Governor General) in the Hokuriku-do region under the Toyotomi government, and was appointed as a role that should keep in contact with the Uesugi clan in Echigo Province, the Hojo clan in Kanto, and the territorial lords in Tohoku.
同年4月に、越前の国主である丹羽長秀が没しており、それに伴い利家は豊臣政権下における北陸道の惣職ともいうべき地位に上り、越後の上杉氏や関東の北条氏、東北の諸大名とも連絡する役目に任じられた。