The present invention discloses a lighting unit comprising: a reflector panel; a plurality of substantially U-shaped cold cathode tubes held parallel relative to the reflector panel; an inverter substrate; cold cathode tube holders for holding the cold cathode tubes parallel relative to the reflector panel in such a manner that terminals of the cold cathode tubes are arranged in a row along one side of the reflector panel; a substrate holder for holding the inverter substrate to be vertically relative to the reflector panel in such a manner that a lower side of the inverter substrate reaches a positions where the terminals are arranged in a row; a plurality of notches upwardly cut deep from the lower side of the inverter substrate so as to receive the terminals; and solders provided for making electrical connections between the terminals and electrical supply patterns formed in the notches.