Yasu Ota

Specially Appointed Professor, Faculty of Engineering, Hokkaido University

At Hokkaido University, Yasuhiko Ota teaches interdisciplinary courses in what he calls “Engineering Liberal Arts,” covering international affairs surrounding advanced technologies and science and technology policy. He is also involved in planning and developing next-generation human resources at the Institute for the Promotion of Frontier Education and Research (IFERS).

Before joining Hokkaido University, he worked as a journalist for Nikkei, primarily covering international affairs. He was posted in Boston, Washington, D.C., Frankfurt, and Singapore. Until being appointed Professor at Hokkaido University’s Faculty of Engineering in March 2025, he served as an editorial writer and columnist, writing editorials on international issues as well as Nikkei’s front-page column “Shunju (Spring and Autumn),” while also appearing as a television news anchor.

His 2021 book, The Geopolitics of Semiconductors: Who Will Control the Strategic Resource?, became a bestseller and has been translated and published in Taiwan, South Korea, and other markets. He continues to provide commentary in the media on current issues surrounding semiconductors and global technology competition.