A focusing apparatus comprising: focus signal generating means adapted to generate a focus signal indicating a degree of focusing; in-focus direction signal generating means adapted to generate an in-focus direction signal indicating whether a focusing lens moved for focusing is on a far side or a near side viewed from an in-focus position using the generated focus signal at predetermined time intervals; focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505) adapted to control movement of the focusing lens for focusing by an amount of lens movement in a moving direction; and a lens driving section adapted to move the focusing lens by an amount of lens control output from the focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505); characterized by in-focus direction signal storing means adapted to store a plurality of the in-focus direction signals generated at the predetermined time intervals, wherein said plurality of the in-focus direction signals is stored in the time-series order at which they are generated; and in-focus vicinity deciding means adapted to decide that the focusing lens is in the vicinity of the in-focus position when the number of the stored in-focus direction signals corresponding to respective sides exceeds a predetermined threshold value, respectively; wherein the in-focus direction signal generating means decides whether the in-focus direction is on a far side or a near side relative to the actual point based on a sign of a variation component (ΔVF) which is calculated from a difference between a focus signal and a past focus signal, the in-focus direction is decided to be in one of the far side and the near side when the sign is negative and the in-focus direction is decided to be in the other one of the far side and the near side when the sign is positive, and the focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505) are further adapted to control movement of the focusing lens by deciding the moving direction of the focusing lens from the result obtained by the in-focus direction signal generating means, and by deciding the amount of lens movement based on a level of the focus signal and the result of the in-focus vicinity deciding means so as to reduce a speed of the focusing lens when the in-focus vicinity deciding means decides that the focusing lens is in the vicinity of the in-focus position. focus signal generating means adapted to generate a focus signal indicating a degree of focusing; in-focus direction signal generating means adapted to generate an in-focus direction signal indicating whether a focusing lens moved for focusing is on a far side or a near side viewed from an in-focus position using the generated focus signal at predetermined time intervals; focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505) adapted to control movement of the focusing lens for focusing by an amount of lens movement in a moving direction; and a lens driving section adapted to move the focusing lens by an amount of lens control output from the focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505); characterized by in-focus direction signal storing means adapted to store a plurality of the in-focus direction signals generated at the predetermined time intervals, wherein said plurality of the in-focus direction signals is stored in the time-series order at which they are generated; and in-focus vicinity deciding means adapted to decide that the focusing lens is in the vicinity of the in-focus position when the number of the stored in-focus direction signals corresponding to respective sides exceeds a predetermined threshold value, respectively; wherein the in-focus direction signal generating means decides whether the in-focus direction is on a far side or a near side relative to the actual point based on a sign of a variation component (ΔVF) which is calculated from a difference between a focus signal and a past focus signal, the in-focus direction is decided to be in one of the far side and the near side when the sign is negative and the in-focus direction is decided to be in the other one of the far side and the near side when the sign is positive, and the focusing lens movement controlling means (503, 505) are further adapted to control movement of the focusing lens by deciding the moving direction of the focusing lens from the result obtained by the in-focus direction signal generating means, and by deciding the amount of lens movement based on a level of the focus signal and the result of the in-focus vicinity deciding means so as to reduce a speed of the focusing lens when the in-focus vicinity deciding means decides that the focusing lens is in the vicinity of the in-focus position.