After starting out learning sign language as a hobby, in 2013, he became a certified sign language interpreter in Japan. He is president of ShuR, a company he founded in 2008 while at university. Initially, ShuR helped deaf people by providing interpreting and information services through tablets and mobile phones. Today, ShuR’s services, which are mostly free for deaf users, continue to be used in hotels, restaurants and train stations in Japan, but ShuR is largely focused on developing the SLinto online sign language dictionary.

In 2012, Ohki was named an Ashoka Fellow – the first in East Asia – and a World Economic Forum Global Shaper, and was selected as one of Forbes “30 under 30” social entrepreneurs.