A lens drive unit 10 comprises permanent magnets 215a and 215b, a yoke 211, and a coil 210. The yoke 211 has center yoke portions 221a and 222a, a back yoke portion 231 and a connect yoke portion that magnetically joins the center yoke portions 221a and 222a and the back yoke portion 231. The coil 210 is wound so as to surround part of the center yoke portions 221a and 222a. The height of a surface of the center yoke portions facing the permanent magnets in an orthogonal direction to the optical axis direction is such that the height near the middle part in the optical axis direction is smaller than the height near the two ends in the optical axis direction.