Makoto Ooka (1931-) is a Japanese poet and literary critic. He graduated from the Department of Japanese Literature of the Faculty of Letters,University of Tokyo. He already attracted attention as a poet while he was still studying at the university.After working as a journalist at the foreign news department of the Yomiuri Shimbun, one of Japan's leading national newspaper, he became a professor at Meiji University. He then taught at the Tokyo University of Arts as a visiting professor. He was the president of Japan P.E.N. Club. He came to a prominence as an artist through such works as Kioku to genzai (The Memory and the Present), a collection of poems, and Kinotsurayuki, a critique of an ancient poet of Japan. His poetry column, Ori Ori no Uta was published every day for 28 years from 1973 in a Japan's leading national newspaper, Asahi Shimbun. He has written numerous critiques and essays on art and literature as well.

1987 Ministry of Education and Science Award

2003 Order of Cultural Merit

2004 L'ordre National de la Légion d'honneur