A hydraulic drive device for a cargo vehicle, the hydraulic drive device comprising: a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering that is configured to raise and lower an object to be raised and lowered by supplying and discharging of hydraulic oil; an operation member that operates the hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic pump that supplies and discharges the hydraulic oil to and from the hydraulic cylinder; a lowering oil path connecting a bottom chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and a suction port of the hydraulic pump so that hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic cylinder flows to the suction port of the hydraulic pump; an operation valve that is disposed in the lowering oil path and that controls a flow of hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic cylinder based on a lowering operation of the operation member; a bypass oil path that branches off from the lowering oil path at a branch point and that connects the branch point and a tank that stores the hydraulic oil; a bypass flow rate control valve that is disposed in the bypass oil path and that controls a bypass flow rate which is a flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the branch point to the tank; and a resistance element that is disposed closer to the hydraulic cylinder than the operation valve is in the lowering oil path and that increases a fluid resistance, wherein a pilot flow path of the bypass flow rate control valve is connected to a part of the lowering oil path between the hydraulic cylinder and the resistance element, characterized by further comprising a pilot check valve for preventing natural fall, the pilot check valve being disposed between the hydraulic cylinder and the operation valve in the lowering oil path, wherein the resistance element is disposed between the pilot check valve and the operation valve, and in that a merging position of a pilot flow path of the pilot check valve with the lowering oil path is between the operation valve and the resistance element and closer to the operation valve than the resistance element. a hydraulic cylinder for raising and lowering that is configured to raise and lower an object to be raised and lowered by supplying and discharging of hydraulic oil; an operation member that operates the hydraulic cylinder; a hydraulic pump that supplies and discharges the hydraulic oil to and from the hydraulic cylinder; a lowering oil path connecting a bottom chamber of the hydraulic cylinder and a suction port of the hydraulic pump so that hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic cylinder flows to the suction port of the hydraulic pump; an operation valve that is disposed in the lowering oil path and that controls a flow of hydraulic oil discharged from the hydraulic cylinder based on a lowering operation of the operation member; a bypass oil path that branches off from the lowering oil path at a branch point and that connects the branch point and a tank that stores the hydraulic oil; a bypass flow rate control valve that is disposed in the bypass oil path and that controls a bypass flow rate which is a flow rate of hydraulic oil flowing from the branch point to the tank; and a resistance element that is disposed closer to the hydraulic cylinder than the operation valve is in the lowering oil path and that increases a fluid resistance, wherein a pilot flow path of the bypass flow rate control valve is connected to a part of the lowering oil path between the hydraulic cylinder and the resistance element, further comprising a pilot check valve for preventing natural fall, the pilot check valve being disposed between the hydraulic cylinder and the operation valve in the lowering oil path, wherein the resistance element is disposed between the pilot check valve and the operation valve, and in that a merging position of a pilot flow path of the pilot check valve with the lowering oil path is between the operation valve and the resistance element and closer to the operation valve than the resistance element.