Studio Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki has announced his retirement as a producer, reports AnimeNewsNetwork. Suzuki, who co-founded Studio Ghibli together with Hayao Miyazaki and Isao Takahata, is voluntarily stepping down from his position but will still stay on as the general manager of the company. Suzuki also served as the president of Studio Ghibli until 2008 when Koji Hoshino, former president of Walt Disney Japan, took over. Yoshiaki Nishimura, who made his debut as a producer on Takahata‘s The Tale of Princess Kaguya is reportedly taking over producing duties. Suzuki’s last project as a producer was The Wind Rises, which was also Hayao Miyazaki’s last feature film after he announced his retirement last September. However, Suzuki emphasized that his decision was not linked to Miyazaki’s. Instead, he was just stepping aside and making way for the new generation.