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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

FTSE 100 Falls as US-Iran Conflict Drives Oil Prices Higher

British stocks declined on Wednesday as escalating military tensions between the United States and Iran pushed oil prices higher and weakened investor appetite for risk across European markets. The FTSE 100 fell 0.30% by...

Asian Currencies Weaken as Dollar Rises, Kiwi Slides After RBNZ Hike

Asian currencies mostly weakened on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar traded near a two-week high, while the New Zealand dollar fell sharply despite the Reserve Bank of New Zealand raising interest rates. The kiwi dropped to...

Bank of England Sees Surge in Higher-Risk Collateral

British banks are increasingly using higher-risk loans and securities as collateral to access Bank of England funding, highlighting how the central banks exposure to potentially illiquid assets is growing. Banks pledged...

South Korea Inflation Rises to 3.1% in August

South Koreas consumer inflation accelerated in August, coming in slightly below market expectations but remaining near a two-year high as elevated energy and telecommunications costs continued to pressure household prices....

US Strikes Iran IRGC Targets as Conflict Escalates

The U.S. military completed a new wave of strikes against Iran late Tuesday, targeting Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) facilities as fighting between Washington and Tehran intensified following a weekend exchange...

Politics

Greenland Says US Talks Remain Ongoing

Greenlands Foreign Minister Mute Egede said Wednesday that negotiations with the United States over the Arctic islands future remain underway, although he declined to disclose details of the discussions. Speaking during a...

US, Australia Pledge $580 Million for Pacific Islands

The United States and Australia announced a combined $580 million funding package for Pacific Island nations on Wednesday, stepping up regional support as competition with China for influence across the Pacific...

Ed Markey Wins Massachusetts Democratic Senate Primary

U.S. Senator Ed Markey secured the Democratic nomination for another term in Massachusetts on Tuesday, defeating Representative Seth Moulton in a closely watched primary that highlighted debates over age, experience and...

USS Abraham Lincoln Arrives in Thailand After Record 200 Days at Sea

The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln arrived at Thailands Laem Chabang port on Wednesday morning after spending more than 200 consecutive days at sea, including an extended deployment in the Middle East....

US-Iran Conflict Escalates With New Strikes Near Hormuz

The U.S.-Iran conflict intensified on Wednesday after the two sides carried out their most significant exchange of attacks in weeks, raising fears of a wider Middle East war as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz...

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

MongoDB Stock Sinks 14% as Atlas Growth Misses Expectations

MongoDB (NASDAQ: MDB) shares plunged more than 14% in premarket trading Wednesday despite stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter 2027 results, as investors focused on the lack of growth acceleration in the companys...

Lenovo Shares Fall After Dropbox Security Breach Exposes ID Vulnerability

Lenovo Group shares came under pressure on Wednesday after a security breach at Dropbox revealed a vulnerability connected to the Chinese technology companys Lenovo ID authentication service. Dropbox said approximately...

OpenAI Nears Astra AI Model Launch With Safety Focus

OpenAI is preparing to launch its next-generation artificial intelligence model, Astra, with CEO Sam Altman signaling that the release could arrive soon as the company increases its focus on AI safety and cybersecurity....

OpenAI Rejects Apple Trade Secret Theft Claims

OpenAI has denied Apples allegations that it obtained confidential trade secrets through former Apple employees, arguing that the iPhone maker has failed to provide evidence showing proprietary information was stolen. In a...

MediaTek Shares Jump 10% on Nvidia’s $3.5 Billion Investment

MediaTek shares surged nearly 10% on Tuesday after Nvidia announced a $3.5 billion investment in the Taiwanese semiconductor designer, strengthening a strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence...