Yoji Yamada (山田 洋次 Yamada Yōji, born September 13, 1931 in Toyonaka City, Osaka, Japan) is a Japanese film director best known for his Otoko wa Tsurai yo series of films.
He was born in Osaka. But because of the work of his father, who was an engineer for the South Manchuria Railway, from the age of 2 he was brought up in Manchuria. Following the end of World War II, he came back to Japan and subsequently he lived in Ube in Yamaguchi Prefecture.
After receiving his degree from Tokyo University in 1954, he entered Shochiku and worked under Yoshitaro Nomura as a scriptwriter or as an assistant director.
He has won many awards throughout his lengthy career and is well respected in Japan and by critics throughout the world. He wrote his first screenplay in 1958, and directed his first movie in 1961. Yamada continues to make movies to this day.
He once served as president of the Directors Guild of Japan, and is currently a guest professor of Ritsumeikan University. 야마다 요지(1931년생, Osaka, Japan) 는 감독으로, 대표작으로 도쿄 택시, 황혼의 사무라이, 행복의 노란 손수건이 있으며, 그 외에도 무사의 체통, 동경가족, 가족은 괴로워, 学校, 男はつらいよ 寅次郎の縁談, 엄마, 가족은 괴로워 3: 아내여 장미처럼, 작은 집, 안녕하세요, 어머니, 키네마의 신, キネマの天地, 가족은 괴로워 2 등 다양한 작품을 연출했다. (오뜨랑에서 실시간으로 번역된 한글 프로필도 확인할 수 있어요) 2026년 山﨑リバーサイド - 俳優の肩ごしに -에 출연했다. 2025년 도쿄 택시 연출을 맡았다. 2025년 도쿄 택시 집필을 맡았다.