He was born in 1949 in Nagano. He made his debut as a film director with ‘Jukkai no mosukiito (The mosquito on the 10th floor)’ which was shown at the Internazionale D’Arte Sinematografica Di Venezia in 1983. He was spotlighted when his film ‘Tsuki wa docchi ni dete iru (All under the moon)’ received many film awards. In 1999, he made the film ‘Buta no mukui (The punishment from a pig)’. In 2002, he received the blue ribbon award for his film ‘Keimusho no naka (Doing time)’. He made the films ‘Quill (Quill)’ and ‘Chi to hone (Blood and Bones)’ in 2004 and is highly appraised.