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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

Vietnam Stocks Join FTSE Emerging Market Indexes, Unlocking Billions in Foreign Investment

Vietnamese stocks officially joined FTSE Russells emerging market indexes on Monday, marking a major milestone for Vietnams stock market after years of reforms designed to improve market access and attract foreign...

Gold Prices Hold Steady Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit, Middle East Risks

Gold prices were largely unchanged in Asian trading on Monday as investors remained cautious ahead of high-level U.S.-China talks while continuing to monitor geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. Spot gold traded...

Yen in Focus as BOJ, Fed Rate Hikes Reshape Currency Markets

The Japanese yen remained the center of attention in currency markets on Monday after last weeks sharp decline fueled speculation that Tokyo could intervene to support the currency. Investors were also reassessing the...

France Debt-to-GDP Ratio Seen Hitting Record 119.3% in 2026

Frances public debt is projected to climb to a record 119.3% of gross domestic product in 2026 as the government struggles to contain its budget deficit and restore confidence in the countrys finances. The French finance...

US-China Talks Target AI, Tariffs Ahead of Trump-Xi Summit

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng began high-level talks in New York on Sunday, seeking progress on artificial intelligence, tariffs and critical minerals ahead of this weeks summit...

Politics

Trump-Xi Summit Puts Trade Truce and Taiwan in Focus

U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping will meet in Washington on September 24, with expectations for a major breakthrough limited as both leaders focus on preserving stability in U.S.-China...

Denmark Says Greenland Sovereignty Protected in US Military Deal

Denmark has insisted that its sovereignty over Greenland will remain intact under an emerging agreement with the United States that could significantly expand the American military presence on the strategically important...

Trump Open to Pezeshkian Meeting as Iran Tensions Escalate

U.S. President Donald Trump said he is open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian during this weeks United Nations General Assembly in New York, even as tensions between Washington and Tehran remain elevated. Fox...

Michelle Bachelet Withdraws From UN Secretary-General Race

Former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has withdrawn her candidacy to become the next United Nations secretary-general, ending her campaign after failing to secure sufficient support among members of the UN Security...

North Korea Fires Two Ballistic Missiles From Wonsan

North Korea fired two short-range missiles from its eastern coast on Sunday, marking its second round of missile tests in roughly a week as tensions rise over US-led military exercises in the region. South Koreas military...

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

SoftBank Launches $11 Billion Bond Sale to Fund OpenAI Investment

SoftBank Group Corp. has launched a major bond offering worth $10 billion and 1 billion to finance its latest investment in OpenAI, according to a term sheet released Monday. The Japanese technology investment group is...

Trump Plans Federal AI Force and AI Czar

U.S. President Donald Trump said Saturday that he plans to create a federal AI Force and appoint an artificial intelligence czar, outlining an effort to accelerate U.S. AI development while using existing laws to address...

SpaceX Nasdaq 100 Weight to More Than Double in Rebalance

SpaceX is set to gain significantly more influence in the Nasdaq 100 Index when the benchmark completes its quarterly rebalance on Monday, with the companys weighting expected to more than double. According to Bloomberg,...

Westinghouse Targets $50 Billion Valuation in U.S. IPO

Westinghouse Electric Co. is seeking a valuation of more than $50 billion for its planned U.S. initial public offering, as the nuclear technology company moves closer to a public market debut amid growing interest in...

NASA, Boeing Discuss Expanding Starliner Missions

NASA is holding discussions with Boeing about expanding the use of its Starliner spacecraft for future missions, potentially giving the troubled vehicle a larger role in U.S. human spaceflight plans. The space agency and...