OPTIMIZATION APPARATUS, OPTIMIZATION METHOD, AND OPTIMIZATION PROGRAM

An optimization apparatus, includes a searching unit that computes a provisional optimum solution of a combinatorial optimization problem by searching a ground state for an Ising model acquired by converting the combinatorial optimization problem; an executing unit that executes a simulation using the provisional optimum solution, evaluates a result of the simulation based on an evaluation criterion value representing an evaluation criterion for the result of the simulation, and, when the result satisfies the evaluation criterion, outputs the provisional optimum solution as an optimum solution; and an updating unit that, when the result does not satisfy the evaluation criterion, generates an updated Ising model acquired by adding a first constraint term based on the result to the Ising model and causes the searching unit to execute a search for a ground state for the updated Ising model.