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Taku Tamaki

Lecturer in International Relations, Loughborough University

Taku Tamaki is a Lecturer in International Relations, specialising in the international political dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. After gaining his PhD at Aberystwyth, he was Research Fellow at the Institute of Asian Cultural Studies at International Christian University in Tokyo, and taught International Relations at Plymouth before moving to Loughborough in 2007. He has taught a wide range of courses on international politics and international political economy, including International Relations Theory, the United Nations and International Organisations, The Asia-Pacific in Global Politics, and the International Political Economy of the Asia-Pacific Region.

Having spent four years as a US Treasuries broker at Cantor Fitzgerald (Tokyo office), he brings first-hand experience of political economy to the classroom, having experienced the market turmoil immediately following the announcement of the collapse of Barings Bank in 1995.

Taku is interested in applying the concepts of International Relations and Social Theory to the international political-economic dynamics of the Asia-Pacific region. His main focus is on Japanese foreign policy in East Asia, spanning both Tokyo’s diplomatic- and economic relations with Asia and the US.

His current research investigates the images of Asia in contemporary Japanese foreign- and economic policy pronouncements. Here, he explores how policy elites understand and explain Asia as both a threat and opportunity—an interpretation that transcends both the past and present. He is also looking into Japan’s soft power projection in Western Europe, researching on the way Japanese government perceives its political- and economic activities in the EU and the UK.

He has published in leading journals in international relations and the international politics of the Asia-Pacific, including The Pacific Review, International Relations, and the International Relations of the Asia-Pacific.

Global Geopolitics Series

Caught between Trump and Kim, Japan is nervous and alone

Sep 11, 2017 14:53 pm UTC| Insights & Views

North Koreas nuclear test, by far its largest, came less than a week after it test-fired an intercontinental ballistic missile that flew over northern Japan, triggering a national text-message system known as the...

Japan has turned its culture into a powerful political tool

Apr 26, 2017 07:49 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Much has been made of Japans recent turn away from pacifism and growing military muscle, but Tokyo is also extending its global reach in more subtle ways. Japan is especially serious about increasing its soft power, the...

An ageing emperor steps down – and leaves Japan at an awkward crossroads

Aug 10, 2016 15:42 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Emperor Akihitos recent statement to the Japanese nation had been anticipated for some time, but it was nonetheless a startling moment. Akihito refrained from uttering the a-word, but the message was clear: he wants to...

Obama's Hiroshima visit was hugely momentous – and bitterly ironic

May 27, 2016 16:03 pm UTC| Insights & Views

After accepting an invitation from the Japanese government, Barack Obama has become the first sitting president of the US to visit Hiroshima, the site of the first ever atomic bombing. Speaking in front of the Hiroshima...

Economy

IMF Says Global Bond Markets Remain Orderly Despite Yield Surge

The International Monetary Fund said global bond markets remain orderly despite a sharp rise in government bond yields that has driven borrowing costs to their highest levels in decades. The 10-year U.S. Treasury yield...

Oil Prices Surge as U.S.-Iran Tensions Fuel Supply Fears

Oil prices jumped on Thursday as escalating U.S.-Iran tensions revived concerns over Middle East supply disruptions, with reports suggesting Washington is preparing to deploy additional forces to the region. Brent crude...

Wall Street Edges Higher as Treasury Yields Retreat

Wall Street opened October with modest gains on Thursday as falling U.S. Treasury yields helped offset a sharp rise in oil prices and renewed concerns over inflation. The SP 500 gained 0.3% to close at 7,670.36, while the...

Nasdaq Futures Jump as Micron Earnings Boost AI Trade

U.S. stock futures climbed Thursday, led by a sharp rise in Nasdaq futures after strong earnings and guidance from Micron Technology reinforced investor confidence in artificial intelligence-driven chip demand. Wall Street...

South Korea Exports Surge 83.5% on AI Chip Boom

South Korean exports surged far more than expected in September, driving the countrys trade surplus higher as strong global demand for artificial intelligence chips and electronics continued to support Asias fourth-largest...

Politics

Israeli Settler Attack in West Bank Kills Palestinian

Israeli settlers shot two Palestinians during an attack on the village of Yasuf in the occupied West Bank on Thursday, killing one and injuring another, according to Palestinian officials. The incident comes amid...

Ukraine Deploys FP-7 Ballistic Missile in Combat for First Time

Ukraine has used its domestically developed FP-7 tactical ballistic missile in combat for the first time, marking a significant step in Kyivs efforts to expand its long-range strike and missile capabilities, President...

Putin Says Western Firms Could Regain Russian Assets

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Western companies could eventually regain control of their Russian assets if relations improve and a favourable scenario emerges between Moscow and Western governments. Speaking...

Marco Rubio to Visit Iceland, Greece and Portugal

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Iceland, Greece and Portugal next week as Washington seeks to strengthen economic, security and diplomatic cooperation with key European partners. The State Department...

US Waives $320M Egypt Military Aid Conditions After Iran War Role

The United States has waived human rights conditions tied to $320 million in military aid for Egypt, citing Cairos national security importance and its helpful role following the launch of the US-led military campaign...

Science

Blue Origin New Glenn Explosion Could Delay Launch Operations Until 2028

Blue Origin is facing a significant setback after a dramatic explosion involving its New Glenn rocket severely damaged a launch pad at Cape Canaveral, Florida. According to NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman, repairs to the...

Blue Origin New Glenn Rocket Explodes During Launch Pad Test, Delaying Space Ambitions

Blue Origin suffered a major setback after its uncrewed New Glenn rocket exploded during a launch pad test in Florida on Thursday, raising new challenges for Jeff Bezos space company as it competes with Elon Musks SpaceX...

SpaceX Delays Starship V3 Launch Ahead of Potential Record IPO

SpaceX on Thursday postponed the highly anticipated launch of its 12th Starship rocket test from Texas after technical issues interrupted the final countdown. The company now plans to attempt the Starship V3 launch again...

Trump Administration Releases New UFO Files and Apollo Mission Records

The U.S. Defense Department has released dozens of previously classified UFO-related files following an order from President Donald Trump, sparking renewed debate over unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAP) and government...

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

Technology

California AG Subpoenas OpenAI Over AI Cybersecurity Incidents

California Attorney General Rob Bonta served OpenAI with an investigative subpoena Wednesday, escalating a state investigation into cybersecurity incidents involving the artificial intelligence company and its models. The...

WordPress Malware Uses Ethereum to Evade Removal

Security researchers have uncovered a persistent WordPress malware strain that uses Ethereum infrastructure for command-and-control communications, making infected websites unusually difficult to clean. According to...

DogeOS Launches Testnet to Bring DeFi Apps to Dogecoin

DogeOS has launched a public testnet designed to bring Ethereum-style decentralized finance applications to Dogecoin, potentially expanding DOGEs utility beyond payments and price speculation. The Ethereum-compatible...

Tencent Signs $7 Billion Oracle AI Chip Lease Deal

Tencent has signed a $7 billion agreement with Oracle to access roughly 100,000 advanced artificial intelligence chips, marking a major expansion of the Chinese technology giants AI infrastructure, according to the...

Micron Forecast Tops Estimates as AI Memory Demand Stays Strong

Micron Technology delivered a stronger-than-expected fiscal first-quarter 2027 outlook, supported by robust demand for memory chips used in artificial intelligence infrastructure, although signs of slowing earnings growth...