Hitoshi Yazaki (born November 20, 1956 in Yamanashi Prefecture) is a Japanese film director. In 1975 Yazaki began a film studies at the Faculty of Arts of Nihon University. In the same year he made his first short film, Uramado. Before his first feature film he worked as an assistant with the directors Shunichi Nagasaki and Sōgo Ishii. His debut in feature film length, Fuyu no hikari, shot Yazaki in 1977 still on 8 mm film. In 1980, his first 16 mm film Kazetachi no gogo followed.This black and white film, which was made with Shunichi Nagasaki's collaboration, is based on a true story and tells the story of an unhappy lesbian love.Only ten years after Kazetachi no gogo, Yazaki filmed the color film Der März, which was premiered at the Berlinale in 1991.After another ten years, Yazaki recorded in 2000 with the three-hour Hana o tsumu shōjo to mushi o korosu shōjo, which plays in London and was filmed with English and Japanese actors.The other films Yazakis appeared in shorter intervals: in 2006 he adapted with Strawberry Shortcakes the manga of the same name by Kiriko Nananan. In 2010, Sweet Little Lies, based on a novel by Kaori Ekuni, followed. The following year, with 1+1=11, a film with original screenplay by Yazaki himself was released. Taiyō no suwaru basho, released in 2014, is again based on a novel, in this case by Mizuki Tsujimura. The most recent films by Yazaki are the comedy XXX – Kiss Kiss Kiss from 2015 and Mubansō from 2016. The latter takes place in 1969 and addresses the Japanese student unrest.