News
Ghibli Founder Toshio Suzuki Replaces Koji Hoshino as Studio President
posted on by Egan Loo & Kim Morrissy
In a message on Ghibli's website, Hoshino cited the diminishing of COVID-19, the November opening of the Ghibli Park, and the planned completion of Hayao Miyazaki's latest feature film, Kimi-tachi wa Dō Ikiru ka (tentatively titled How Do You Live? in English) for his decision.
Hoshino was formerly president of Walt Disney Japan. He became president of Studio Ghibli in 2008, and then became the company's chairperson in 2017. (Kiyofumi Nakajima replaced Hoshino as president in 2017, but then Hoshino returned as president in 2021.) Miyazaki and Nakajima remain as two of Ghibli's board directors, and Miyazaki's son Goro Miyazaki also remains as the managing board director.
The Shūkan Josei tabloid published an article in its April 11 issue and online Prime edition last Wednesday about Hoshino's resignation and retirement. Shūkan Josei's report (uncorroborated by the studio or Oricon) cited the studio's "internal turmoil" as a major contributing factor. According to an anonymous source interviewed by the tabloid, Hoshino objected to Suzuki's favoritism toward a woman in professional matters. He allegedly admonished Suzuki to "properly separate his private and public life." Although the source claimed that there were other factors leading to their falling out, this issue was the trigger that prompted Suzuki to "remove Hoshino from his position as president."
When the entertainment industry news source Variety reached out to the studio for further comment, a spokesperson responded, "The reason for Mr. Hoshino's resignation is as stated on the website. We have nothing to add to his comment."
Update: Ghibli's response to Variety added. Source: Variety
Source: Oricon
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