Conversation so far:
Who was the casting director for the film?
Takita.
Why was Takita hired as the casting director?
in his early 40s and having built a reputation as a realist.
Who were some of the actors and actresses that were cast in the film?
Veteran actor Tsutomu Yamazaki was selected for the role of Sasaki.

Question: Who else?
Self-contained rewrite: Who else was cast in the film Departures other than Tsutomu Yamazaki?