[Retros] Probleemblad R131 question

[Joost de Heer]

http://www.janko.at/Retros/Probleemblad/N2001-02.htm#R131

Solution mentions that the position can be released with 7 rook moves (The
rook sequence is Ra1-d1 (Ra8-d8) Rd1-d2 (Rd8-d7) Rh1-h5 (Rh8-h7) Rh5-e5).
Both first rook-moves could be replaced by long castling, thereby reducing
the number of rook moves to 5. Or should castling be regarded as a rook
move in this case?

Joost