Japanese film Director of the critically acclaimed The Human Condition, a trilogy that was nine hours in total length.
He worked as an apprentice Director at Shochiku Studios.
He directed Kwaidan in 1965, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. His film Harakiri won the Jury Prize at the 1963 Cannes Film Festival.
He was born in Tokyo.
He was considered to direct Tora! Tora! Tora! after Akira Kurosawa dropped out of the film.
