Director is Nobuhiro Yamashita, who is about a fine of a director
that anyone could ask for.
A couple films that he has directed are 2007's
"A Gentle Breeze in the Village" which one Kaho "Best
New Actress" award that year, and 2005's "Linda, Linda,
Linda" with Yuu Kashii & Aki Maeda- one of the best
Japanese school age films out there.
Also he directed "MyBack Page" from 2011, with Kenichi
Matsuyama & Satoshi Tsumaboki, featuring Shiori Kutsuna.
Yamashita san is the real deal.
....oh, and he knows how to find the acting skills of
An idol.....in 2013, in the film "Tamako in Moratorium"
Yamashita san worked with this actress, who reportedly
had been an idol at one time:
映画『もらとりあむタマ子』予告編