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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

KOSPI Drops Nearly 5% as Samsung, SK Hynix Lead AI Stock Selloff

South Koreas benchmark KOSPI tumbled nearly 5% on Monday, extending losses after recording its worst monthly decline since the 2008 global financial crisis. Renewed selling in major semiconductor stocks erased much of...

Japanese Yen Rallies as Intervention Hopes and BOJ Outlook Weigh on USD/JPY

The Japanese yen extended its rally against the U.S. dollar on Monday, climbing nearly 1% as investors increased bets that Japanese authorities could launch another coordinated currency intervention with the United States...

Gold Prices Rise as Trump Delays Iran Strike, Oil Slumps

Gold prices edged higher on Monday after a sharp decline in oil prices eased inflation concerns, boosting demand for safe-haven assets. The rally came after U.S. President Donald Trump delayed a planned military strike...

Asian Stocks Slide as AI Selloff Hits South Korea, Oil Prices Drop on Iran Talks

Asian stock markets opened the week lower on Monday, with South Korea leading regional losses as renewed selling in artificial intelligence-related technology stocks overshadowed improving investor sentiment from easing...

US Stock Futures Rise as Trump’s Iran Talks Boost Market Sentiment Ahead of Key Earnings

U.S. stock index futures moved higher late Sunday after President Donald Trump announced that negotiations with Iran would begin on Monday, easing geopolitical concerns and lifting investor sentiment. The prospect of...

Politics

DOJ Rescinds Anti-Weaponization Fund Ahead of Todd Blanche Senate Confirmation Vote

The U.S. Justice Department has rescinded an order establishing the controversial Anti-Weaponization Fund just days before the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to consider Todd Blanches nomination for attorney general, a...

Former House Appropriations Chair Kay Granger Dies at 83

Former U.S. Representative Kay Granger, a longtime Texas Republican and the first Republican woman to chair the powerful House Appropriations Committee, has died at the age of 83, according to confirmation from her son,...

Taiwan Says U.S. Military Cooperation Is Stronger Than Many Realize

Taiwans military cooperation with the United States is stronger than many people realize, Defence Minister Wellington Koo said, highlighting expanding exchanges with the U.S. Pacific Command as Taipei works to strengthen...

Russian Border Drone Strike Kills Child in Belgorod, Injures Two Others

A Ukrainian drone strike in Russias Belgorod region killed a 13-year-old girl and injured two other children on Sunday, according to local Russian officials. The incident occurred near a playground in the border village of...

China Defends Industrial Policy Ahead of Key U.S. and EU Trade Talks

China is doubling down on its industrial-focused economic strategy as it prepares for high-stakes trade negotiations with the United States and the European Union, signaling little intention of making major policy changes...

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

Meta Cuts Wipro Outsourcing by 25% After AI-Led Restructuring

Meta Platforms has reportedly reduced the amount of IT work it outsources to Wipro Ltd by at least 25% following an artificial intelligence-driven restructuring that resulted in the closure of its digital marketing...

Alibaba Stock Jumps as Qwen 3.8-MAX AI Model Intensifies China's AI Race

Alibaba Group (HK:9988) shares climbed sharply on Monday after the company introduced Qwen 3.8-MAX, the newest version of its flagship artificial intelligence model, highlighting its growing ambitions in the rapidly...

SpaceX Earnings Preview: Bernstein Says 4 Key Factors Will Drive Long-Term Valuation

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (NASDAQ: SPCX) is set to release its first quarterly earnings report on August 4, but Bernstein believes investors should focus less on the financial results and more on managements...

AI Data Center Boom Faces New Risks as Public Backlash and Policy Scrutiny Grow

Public opposition to large-scale data center construction is rising sharply, creating new challenges for the artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure boom, according to Wolfe Research. The firm identified growing voter...

T-Mobile Executives Reportedly Oppose $300 Billion Deutsche Telekom Merger

Senior executives at T-Mobile US have reportedly told parent company Deutsche Telekom that they do not support a proposed $300 billion merger between the two companies, citing shareholder resistance and potential...