Hirokazu Kore-eda to announce shock retirement?

Sad news for Kore-eda fans. Speculation had been rife that the Japanese director best known for the movie Shoplifters, will announce his retirement from all public activities, at age 63, with immediate effect.

UPDATE 20/03/2026 : This story seems to be false. (read more)

Being a director isn't fun anymore

“As we get older, there are phases of life that we enter into, and being a director-screenwriter just isn't fun anymore,” he might have said, says a source who remained anonymous. Other reports hinted that he may branch out into other creative fields he is better at (and more interested in), though they didn't provide any details.

#ThankYouHirokazu

For a little while on Thursday evening, #ThankYouHirokazu was a trending hashtag on Twitter. As many fans reminisce and look back on all the unforgettable memories, some may wonder what about now made him make the decision.

“You’ve accomplished everything I ever dreamed of #ThankYouHirokazu.”
— @DesireePlum, 19 Mar 2026

“I thought Hirokazu Kore-eda retired about 5 years ago?!?”
— @millythom, 19 Mar 2026

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