Yakov was born on December 15, 1923 in the town of Galich, Kostroma region. In 1933, the family moved to Moscow, Yakov Akim studied and grew up in Moscow.
Akim fought on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, was a squad commander of a mortar division, participated in the Battle of Stalingrad. He graduated from three courses at the Moscow Institute of Fine Chemical Technology by 1950, then switched to literary work. Member of the Writers' Union of the Soviet Union since 1956. He worked at Mosfilm.