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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

Eurozone Bond Yields Fall as Oil Slump Eases Inflation Fears Ahead of Central Bank Meetings

Eurozone government bond yields retreated on Monday as a sharp decline in oil prices eased inflation concerns, giving investors relief ahead of a pivotal week featuring major central bank meetings and key economic data...

European Natural Gas Prices Sink as Middle East Tensions Ease, Oil Slumps

European wholesale natural gas prices plunged nearly 9% on Monday, mirroring a sharp decline in global oil prices after signs of easing tensions in the Middle East reduced concerns over energy supply disruptions. The...

US Stock Futures Rise as Oil Falls, Nvidia Eyes $250 Billion OpenAI Data Center Deal

U.S. stock futures traded higher Monday as easing tensions between the United States and Iran boosted investor sentiment, sending oil prices sharply lower ahead of a pivotal week featuring major corporate earnings and the...

BOJ Expected to Hold Rates Steady While Signaling More Hikes Ahead

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1% when its two-day policy meeting concludes on Friday. However, investors will closely watch Governor Kazuo Uedas comments and...

Gold Prices Rise as Weak Dollar, Fed Rate Decision in Focus

Gold prices climbed in Asian trading on Monday as a weaker U.S. dollar boosted demand for the precious metal, while investors assessed easing geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and looked ahead to the Federal...

Politics

Ukraine Targets 2027 Freyja Prototype to Strengthen Air Defense Against Russian Ballistic Missiles

Ukraine is aiming to unveil a prototype of its European-backed Freyja anti-ballistic missile defense system in the first half of next year as Kyiv works with its allies to reduce reliance on U.S.-made Patriot systems and...

El Salvador Opposition Names Candidates to Challenge President Nayib Bukele in 2027 Election

El Salvadors two main opposition parties have officially selected their candidates to challenge President Nayib Bukele in the countrys next presidential election, scheduled for February 2027, as the incumbent prepares to...

Myanmar Military Intensifies Civilian Attacks as Regional Diplomacy Expands

Myanmars military has significantly increased attacks on civilians since a new administration assumed power, according to a report released Monday by the Armed Conflict Location Event Data Project (ACLED). The findings...

Russia Launches Ballistic Missiles, Drones Across Ukraine as Civilian Death Toll Rises

Russia launched a fresh wave of ballistic missiles and drones across Ukraine early Sunday, striking Kyiv and several other regions in attacks that killed at least six people and injured dozens, according to Ukrainian...

Brazil Recalls Ambassador From Argentina After Milei's Remarks on Lula

Brazil has recalled its ambassador to Argentina following comments by Argentine President Javier Milei criticizing Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, the Brazilian government, and the countrys judiciary,...

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

Tech Stock Positioning Nears Neutral as Investor Rotation Enters Final Phase, Deutsche Bank Says

Investor positioning in large-cap technology stocks has fallen sharply from previously elevated levels and is now close to neutral, signaling that the ongoing rotation away from the sector is largely complete, according to...

Nvidia Invests $1 Billion in Naver as South Korea AI Data Center Expansion Gains Momentum

Shares of South Korean internet and cloud services company Naver surged more than 10% on Monday after the company announced that Nvidia will invest $1 billion by purchasing newly issued shares to support a major artificial...

CXMT IPO Debut in Shanghai Puts $85.5 Billion Chipmaker in Spotlight

Chinas ChangXin Memory Technologies (CXMT) is set to begin trading on the Shanghai Stock Exchange on Monday following the largest initial public offering (IPO) in Asia this year, with investors closely watching the...

Nvidia Eyes $250B Guarantee for OpenAI’s Massive Ohio AI Data Center Project

Nvidia (NASDAQ: NVDA) is reportedly in discussions to provide a financial guarantee worth approximately $250 billion for OpenAI as part of an ambitious artificial intelligence data center project in Ohio, according to a...

SpaceX Stock Slump Wipes Out Nearly $700 Billion From Elon Musk’s Paper Wealth

Elon Musk has seen one of the steepest declines in paper wealth ever recorded as shares of SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) continue to slide following the companys blockbuster public debut. After raising $75 billion in its June 12,...