Koji Hoshino, president and chairman of Studio Ghibli, made the announcement that he is retired from the firm starting the end of March 2023.
Hoshino made the announcement on Studio Ghibli's website. With the pandemic, the opening of Ghibli Park, and the closing up of How Do You Live?, the next film from Hayao Miyazaki, which is set to be released on July 14, Hoshino thinks that now is the "perfect time" for him to stand aside as CEO of Ghibli.
Hoshino will continue to serve the company in a representative capacity until the Annual Shareholders Meeting in June, which will be used to elect a new chairman.
Check out Hishino's official notice of retirement:
“After 15 years of managing the studio since assuming the position in February 2008, I decided that this was the right time to leave Ghibli following the end of the three-year-long COVID-19 pandemic, the opening of Ghibli Park last November and the completion of Hayao Miyazaki's latest film How Do You Live? From now on, I will entrust the management of the company to my successor, and I hope that he will be able to lead the new Ghibli.
On a personal note, I, Hoshino, will be 67 years old this May. From now on, I intend to make use of my experience and contacts to take on new challenges in new areas in the future.”
Toshio Suzuki, who helped start Studio Ghibli and stepped down as president of the company in 2008 to make way for Isao Hoshino, will soon assume that job once again.
Due to the fact that the end of March marks the conclusion of the Japanese business year, it is a regular practice in Japan to switch leadership responsibilities at this time. The new year officially begins on April 1.
Variety reached out to Studio Ghibli to inquire about the resignation and whether or not it was related to a recent article from Shukan Josei.
The article was the one that first revealed that Hoshino was stepping down, prior to the official announcement, due to Suzuki's misappropriating company resources for personal reasons. Variety wanted to know if the resignation was connected to the article.
The spokesman said to Variety that “The reason for Mr. Hoshino’s resignation is as stated on the website. We have nothing to add to his comment. His resignation has nothing to do with the article about Mr. Suzuki to which you have referred.”
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