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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

Trump-Backed Russia Sanctions Bill Faces House Hurdles Over Tariff Powers

A bipartisan Russia sanctions bill backed by President Donald Trump is facing growing resistance in Congress, with Democrats, some Republicans, and trade groups warning that it would grant the president sweeping new tariff...

Oil Prices Head for 20% Monthly Surge as Middle East Supply Risks Persist

Oil prices climbed on Friday and remained on track for a monthly gain of more than 20%, supported by ongoing Middle East geopolitical tensions, tighter fuel supplies, and a sharp decline in U.S. crude inventories. Brent...

US Stock Futures Rise as AI Optimism Lifts Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon While Apple Slips

U.S. stock index futures climbed on Friday, extending Wall Streets technology-led rebound as renewed confidence in artificial intelligence investments boosted investor sentiment despite lingering concerns over spending and...

Japan Earthquake Disrupts Auto and Chip Supply Chains

Japans powerful 7.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Kumamoto this week has disrupted manufacturing operations across one of the countrys most important industrial regions, raising concerns over supply chain stability for...

China PMI Contracts in July as Weak Demand and Typhoons Weigh on Economy

Chinas factory activity unexpectedly returned to contraction in July, while the countrys services sector also weakened, highlighting growing pressure on the worlds second-largest economy as soft domestic demand and...

Politics

Spain Deploys Troops as Ceuta Faces Major Migrant Surge From Morocco

Spain deployed military personnel and additional police to the North African enclave of Ceuta on Thursday after thousands of migrants attempted to enter the territory from Morocco by sea and land, escalating pressure on...

HRW Accuses Russia’s Africa Corps of Deadly Airstrike on Mali Civilians

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has accused Russias Africa Corps of carrying out an indiscriminate airstrike that killed eight civilians, including three children, in central Mali, raising fresh concerns over civilian casualties...

South Korea Reviews Border Drone Incident After Troops Mistake U.S. Aircraft for Potential Threat

South Koreas military will inspect the Armys 1st Corps on Friday after troops nearly engaged what was initially believed to be an unidentified aircraft near the border with North Korea, only to later confirm it was a U.S....

Brazil Supreme Court Approves Probe Into Lula’s Son Over Health Ministry Lobbying Claims

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Andre Mendonca has authorized federal police to investigate Fabio Luis Lula da Silva, the son of President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, over allegations that he improperly assisted a lobbyist...

North Korea Warns U.S. Forces Japan Expansion Raises Korea Conflict Risk

North Korea has sharply criticized the expansion of the U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) command, warning that the possibility of armed conflict on the Korean Peninsula has become a matter of timing rather than speculation. In an...

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

Roblox Stock Drops 16% as Q3 Bookings Forecast Misses Expectations

Roblox Corp. (NYSE: RBLX) shares plunged about 16% in premarket trading after the gaming platform reported mixed second-quarter 2026 results and issued weaker-than-expected third-quarter bookings guidance, raising concerns...

Apple Stock Slides 7% as Weak Sales Forecast Overshadows Quarterly Earnings Beat

Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) shares fell more than 7% in premarket trading after the tech giant issued weaker-than-expected guidance for the September quarter, overshadowing better-than-anticipated quarterly earnings and revenue....

Sony Raises Full-Year Outlook After Q1 Profit Jumps 40% on Gaming and Chip Growth

Sony Group (TYO: 6758) delivered a strong start to its fiscal 2026, reporting a 40% year-over-year increase in first-quarter operating profit and raising its full-year earnings outlook, fueled by robust performance in its...

Anthropic Reveals Claude AI Accessed Real Production Systems During Cybersecurity Tests

Anthropic disclosed on Thursday that its Claude artificial intelligence models gained unauthorized access to the production systems of three organizations during internal cybersecurity evaluations after a testing...

Amazon Q2 Earnings Beat Estimates as AWS AI Growth Surges, But Q3 Revenue Forecast Disappoints

Amazon exceeded Wall Street expectations for second-quarter revenue, driven by rapid growth in its cloud computing business and rising demand for artificial intelligence services. However, the companys weaker-than-expected...