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Ofer Feldman

Ofer Feldman is an Israeli-born Japanese political psychologist and Professor Emeritus at Doshisha University in Kyoto, known for his work on Japanese politics.

born 1954Research on Japanese politicsPolitical psychology scholarshipAdvising Japanese political leaders

Occupation: psychologist, university teacher
Education: University of Tokyo, Tokyo University

Ofer Feldman was born in 1954 in Israel

Ofer Feldman was born in Israel in 1954. He moved to Japan in 1982. In 1994 he became a Japanese citizen and gave up his Israeli citizenship, since Japanese law does not allow dual citizenship.

He earned a Ph.D. in social psychology from the University of Tokyo in 1987.

Feldman became a professor of political psychology at Doshisha University and an affiliated professor at the Center for Southeast Asian Studies at Kyoto University. He has written and edited books on political behavior and communication, political discourse, and political leadership and personality, with a focus on Japan. He has held visiting posts at universities including Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University, Ohio State University and Leipzig University.

He served as a political adviser to former Japanese prime minister Morihiro Hosokawa and to former opposition leader Yukio Hatoyama. He chaired the Psycho-Politics Research Committee of the International Political Science Association. He has 2 children and 1 grandchild and lives in Kyoto.

Milestones in Ofer Feldman's life

1954
Born in Israel.
1982
Moved to Japan.
1987
Received his Ph.D. from the University of Tokyo.
1993
Received the Erik H. Erikson Award from the International Society of Political Psychology.
1994
Became a Japanese citizen.
2000
Began his first term as chair of the IPSA Psycho-Politics Research Committee.
2001
Became a Fulbright fellow.
2009
Held a Lady Davis Fellowship at the Hebrew University.
2021
Was elected Honorary Chair of the IPSA Research Committee on Political Psychology.