However, he was soon caught in the crossfire of the escalating employee side and the company side, and in September, quit the company with 'The Retiring Seven' including Daisuke ITO, Tomu UCHIDA, Tomotaka TASAKA, Isamu KOSUGI, and Koji SHIMA, and Masaru ASHIDA from the Production Department, saying that he is not capable of settling the dispute and was inappropriate to take on the role.
しかし、やがて激化する従業員側と会社側との板挟みになり、9月には争議を「収拾する能力なくその任に耐えず」と伊藤大輔・内田吐夢・田坂具隆・小杉勇・島耕二・製作部の芦田勝の「脱退七人組」と共に退社した。