Also, according to the official opinion of the government at the time, from the end of the Meiji period until defeat in World War II, Nancho (Japan) was regarded as the legitimate imperial line, and this age was referred to as the 'period of the Northern and Southern Courts (Japan)'; because of such a view, the first shogun Takauji, the second shogun Yoshiakira ASHIKAGA and the third shogun Yoshimitsu ASHIKAGA were not acknowledged as official shoguns (based on imperial history).
また、明治時代末期から第二次世界大戦敗戦まで、当時の政府の公式見解においては、南朝(日本)を正統な皇統としてこの時代を「南北朝時代(日本)」と称していたが、その結果、北朝(日本)が任じた初代尊氏・2代足利義詮・3代足利義満（南北朝合一以前）は正式な将軍とは認められていなかった（皇国史観）。