Soga no Umako
Alongside Nakatomi no Katsumi, Moriya worked to counteract the efforts of Soga no Umako, another high-ranking noble who supported the adoption of Buddhism. Though Mononobe and Nakatomi saw brief success under the reign of Emperor Bidatsu (572-585), his successor, Emperor Yōmei, became Buddhist and so Mononobe's fortunes turned.