The English Wikipedia article on Yasuhiko says that he was a student at the University of Hirosaki (Aomori Prefecture in northern Honshu, just across the strait from Hokkaido: Yas' birthplace) only to drop out in 1969 to pursue a career in Mushi Productions, Osamu Tesuka's animation studio.
The Japanese Wikipedia article, however (sourced from a series of articles published in the Hokkaido Shinbun) tell a different story. Apparently, Yas became involved with the student protest movement in those days and was arrested under suspicion after students occupied the university. After being released on bail, he was expelled from Hirosaki University and started working as a typesetter in Tokyo for a little while before entering Mushi. From the way it's worded, it's likely that Yas himself wasn't an active part of the movement and only got arrested when the police stormed Hirosaki's campus.
It would be interesting to consider how these experiences could've shaped Yas' creative output. A continous theme in
THE ORIGIN's prequel arc is that of popular ourbursts from every direction.
One of the extra chapters, chronicling Casval's birth day, is set after a student protest in Munzo that's "pacified" by the Federation authorities, who attempt to strong-arm the college's dean (Degwin Zabi) to deliver them one of his academics: Zeon Zum Deikun
Another interesting thing to mention is Yas' area of study: Western History. His interest is obviously reflected not only in
THE ORIGIN (which shows a care for both geography and world history unlike anything the Gundam franchise has ever done) but his other works as well. He's made manga of the lifes of Leon Trotsky, Joan d'Arc, Alexander The Great and Jesus of Nazareth.