A shift operating unit comprising: a fixed member; a take-up member movably arranged with respect to the fixed member in a first direction and a second direction that is different from the first direction; a positioning ratchet fixedly coupled to the take-up member to move with the take-up member; a stopping pawl having a stopping tooth and rotatably mounted on a first rotational axis such that the stopping tooth moves between a non-stop position and a stop position to prevent movement of the take-up member in the first direction; and a positioning pawl having a positioning tooth and rotatably mounted on the first rotational axis such that the positioning tooth moves between a non-holding position and a holding position to hold the take-up member in the first direction; and a releasing member movably arranged between a non-releasing position and a releasing position such that the releasing member rotates the stopping pawl and the positioning pawl, characterised in that the releasing member rotates the stopping pawl and the positioning pawl such that the stopping tooth starts to move from the non-stop position to the stop position prior to the positioning tooth starting to move from the holding position to the non-holding position, wherein the releasing member includes a first contact portion that contacts the stopping pawl while the releasing member is in the releasing position and a second contact portion that contacts the positioning pawl while the releasing member is in the releasing position, and in that the first contact portion is located farther from the positioning ratchet than the second contact portion. a fixed member; a take-up member movably arranged with respect to the fixed member in a first direction and a second direction that is different from the first direction; a positioning ratchet fixedly coupled to the take-up member to move with the take-up member; a stopping pawl having a stopping tooth and rotatably mounted on a first rotational axis such that the stopping tooth moves between a non-stop position and a stop position to prevent movement of the take-up member in the first direction; and a positioning pawl having a positioning tooth and rotatably mounted on the first rotational axis such that the positioning tooth moves between a non-holding position and a holding position to hold the take-up member in the first direction; and a releasing member movably arranged between a non-releasing position and a releasing position such that the releasing member rotates the stopping pawl and the positioning pawl, characterised in that the releasing member rotates the stopping pawl and the positioning pawl such that the stopping tooth starts to move from the non-stop position to the stop position prior to the positioning tooth starting to move from the holding position to the non-holding position, wherein the releasing member includes a first contact portion that contacts the stopping pawl while the releasing member is in the releasing position and a second contact portion that contacts the positioning pawl while the releasing member is in the releasing position, and in that the first contact portion is located farther from the positioning ratchet than the second contact portion.