Akira Yasukouchi graduated from Kyushu Institute of Design in 1979, after 8 years of research with the National Institute of Industrial Health for the Japanese Ministry of Labour, he returned to his old school as associate professor in 1990 to research physiological anthropology. He became professor in 1999, distinguished professor in 2009 and director of the Department of Human Science in 2012. He has been Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Physiological Anthropology since 1997.

"As a physio-anthropologist I try to describe the variations of adaptability, within and between individuals, to modern society. To do this the differences in adaptability should be examined in terms of biological characteristics, polytypisms and whole-body coordination. We must consider the factors affecting the morphological and physiological polytypisms using new study methodologies, with the aim of understanding what a truly "healthy" environment would be and how it would fit the needs of both individuals and populations."