This policy was introduced by Emperor Kanmu in order to curb the political influence the large Buddhist institutions in Heijō-kyō (present-day Nara) had acquired during the 8th century.
Kebijakan tersebut diperkenalkan oleh Kaisar Kanmu dalam rangka menumbuhkan pengaruh politik terhadap lembaga-lembaga Buddha besar di Heijō-kyō (sekarang Nara) pada abad ke-8.