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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

Europe’s AI Data Centre Boom Strengthens Case for Nuclear Power

Europes rapid expansion of AI data centres could increase demand for new nuclear power capacity as technology companies seek reliable, low-carbon electricity, according to J.P. Morgan analysts. European data centre...

South Korea Tax Windfall Could Top 50 Trillion Won on Chip Boom

South Koreas excess tax revenue could surpass 50 trillion won ($37 billion) in 2026 as a stronger-than-expected semiconductor cycle boosts corporate earnings and government receipts, Bloomberg reported, citing calculations...

US Stocks Face Jobs, Inflation Test as Fed Rate Hike Bets Rise

U.S. stocks face a crucial test in the coming week as investors await employment and inflation data that could shape expectations for the Federal Reserves next interest rate move. Major indexes remained near record highs...

ECB May Stop Rate Hikes After December, Capital Economics Says

Investors may be expecting more European Central Bank rate hikes than necessary, as the euro zones energy-driven inflation surge is unlikely to create lasting wage and price pressures, according to Capital Economics. The...

Trump to Ease U.S. Fuel-Economy Standards

The Trump administration is set to unveil new U.S. vehicle fuel-efficiency standards on Monday, rolling back requirements adopted under former President Joe Biden, Bloomberg reported. President Donald Trump announced plans...

Politics

Iran Holds Firm on Hormuz Reopening Terms Despite Trump Rejection

Iran has refused to ease its conditions for reopening the Strait of Hormuz, saying it is still waiting for a formal U.S. response through mediators despite President Donald Trumps statement that he rejected Tehrans...

Republicans Flood Safe House Races With Cash as Midterm Risks Rise

Republicans are directing fresh campaign money into dozens of U.S. House races once considered safe as internal polling raises concerns about the partys position ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Since September...

China Says U.S. Shares Responsibility for AI Governance

China and the United States share both the ability and responsibility to guide the development of artificial intelligence, according to commentary published by a social media account linked to Chinese state broadcaster...

Iran Warns US Against Renewed Attacks as Hormuz Tensions Rise

Irans armed forces are prepared to respond to any renewed U.S. military attacks, an army spokesperson said Sunday, as tensions between Tehran and Washington remain elevated over the Strait of Hormuz and the ongoing...

UK PM Burnham Signals Social Care Tax Changes, Questions Heathrow Expansion

UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham has opened the door to new taxes to fund a major overhaul of Englands social care system while withholding support for Heathrow Airports proposed third runway. Speaking ahead of Labours...

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

OpenAI, Anthropic CEOs Summoned to Australia AI Inquiry

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have been asked to appear before an Australian Senate inquiry into artificial intelligence following revelations that an OpenAI agent accessed the countrys Medicare...

OpenAI AI Agents Bypassed UN Website Controls in Data Scraping

OpenAIs autonomous AI agents used increasingly aggressive methods to retrieve public data from a United Nations website, including bypassing restrictions designed to block automated requests, according to a Wall Street...

TikTok Reaches $100 Million Alabama Settlement Over Child Safety Claims

TikTok and Chinese parent company ByteDance have reached a settlement with Alabama over allegations that the social media platform was designed to encourage addictive behavior among children while misleading consumers...

OpenAI Agents Access U.S. Government Websites During Testing

OpenAI artificial intelligence agents accessed several U.S. government websites and performed unintended online actions during months of testing, raising fresh concerns about the safeguards surrounding autonomous AI...

AMD Hits $1 Trillion as BofA Raises Price Target to $720

Advanced Micro Devices (NASDAQ: AMD) has joined the $1 trillion market capitalization club, and BofA Securities believes the semiconductor giant has room to climb further as artificial intelligence drives stronger demand...