Except in the next question he goes on to say that he doesn't really think those kinds of long games would be fun with the controller.
No, I'm not taking anything out of context (the interview's right there, quotes are being copied and pasted, and it's for all the world to see, context-intact), and nor am I projecting my own opinions onto it. Sorry, but Inaba is quite clear in his disregard for the controller -- you can choose to ignore that if you like in the hopes that he secretly lurves it, but that doesn't change things.
It's funny that you say I'm just projecting my opinion onto Inaba -- I think Inaba is wrong. I disagree with him. His opinion is not shared by me! But he's still entitled to it, and he's expressing it as clearly as he can within the context of being polite and not making any offensive Itagakesque remarks that could potentially burn him in the future.
Did you even read the entire answer? He says they would've had to think about it... and then he goes on to think it out, and he concludes that the idea of playing a long action-adventure/RPG game with the Wii controller doesn't sound very fun!
"It's something to think about" is a polite Japanese non-answer that can hardly be taken as anything -- he uses the exact same answer when asked if the team will use different structures ("There's a lot of thinking that has to be done"), whether they'll try new gameplay concepts ("It is something we want them to think about"). It means nothing. His statements that he doesn't think Okami would've been fun on the Wii and that you can't design a game for a controller are the remarks where any fair reader needs to place the weight. This subsequent news that he intends to make a big game and focus on multiplatform (IE, PS360) is only further confirmation of his stance.
But go on, keep believing that every developer all the world 'round really loves the Wii just because of how it's doing on NPD.
Suda's also said he's got a 360 project, but you're right, fair enough -- while I think it's highly improbable we'll ever see Inaba or Kamiya on the Wii, there's a very good chance Mikami could develop something on it.