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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

U.S.-Iran Talks May Take Days as Oil Prices React to Strait of Hormuz Tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said negotiations with Iran could take several more days, cooling expectations for a quick resolution to the ongoing Middle East conflict. His remarks came after U.S. forces launched...

Sri Lanka Central Bank Surprises Markets With 100 Basis Point Rate Hike Amid Inflation and Currency Pressure

Sri Lankas central bank unexpectedly raised its benchmark interest rate by 100 basis points on Tuesday, increasing the overnight policy rate to 8.75% from 7.75% as the country battles rising inflation, a weakening...

Asian Stocks Slip as U.S.-Iran Tensions Weigh on Markets; South Korea’s KOSPI Hits Record High

Asian stock markets traded mostly lower on Tuesday as renewed U.S. military strikes in Iran weakened investor confidence and reduced optimism surrounding a potential Middle East peace agreement. Despite the cautious...

ASX Shares Plunge as Rising Tech Upgrade Costs Shake Investor Confidence

Shares of ASX Ltd (ASX: ASX) tumbled more than 10% on Tuesday after the Australian stock exchange operator warned investors about a significant increase in future spending tied to major technology upgrades and regulatory...

Huawei Chip Breakthrough Sparks Rally in Hong Kong AI and Semiconductor Stocks

Hong Kong-listed semiconductor and artificial intelligence stocks surged on Tuesday after Huawei Technologies revealed a major breakthrough in chip design, fueling optimism about Chinas push to reduce dependence on U.S....

Politics

DOJ Pushes to Resume Trump White House Ballroom Project After Security Incident

The U.S. Justice Department has renewed its request for a federal judge to remove an injunction blocking progress on President Donald Trumps proposed White House ballroom project, arguing that a recent shooting near the...

Rubio Says Strait of Hormuz Must Stay Open Amid Rising Iran Tensions

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open following recent U.S. strikes on Iran, stressing that global shipping routes are critical for international stability and energy...

Cambodia King Pardons Opposition Leader Kem Sokha After Treason Conviction

Cambodias King Norodom Sihamoni has officially pardoned former opposition leader Kem Sokha following his controversial treason conviction, according to a royal decree released Monday. The move comes only weeks after a...

Putin Offers Debt Relief to New Russian Recruits Fighting in Ukraine

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a new decree granting debt relief to citizens who join the military campaign in Ukraine, according to a statement released by the Kremlin. The measure is part of Russias broader...

Senegal Appoints Economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as Prime Minister Amid IMF Debt Crisis

Senegal President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has appointed veteran economist Ahmadou Al Aminou Lo as the countrys new prime minister following the dismissal of Ousmane Sonko and his cabinet. The move comes as Senegal faces...

Science

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...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

Samsung Union Dispute Escalates Over Semiconductor Bonus Vote

A labor dispute at Samsung Electronics is intensifying after a union representing employees outside the semiconductor business filed a court injunction to halt an ongoing vote tied to bonus increases for chip division...

EU Antitrust Probe Could Lead to Massive Google Fine Under DMA Rules

Alphabets Google could face a major antitrust fine from the European Union as regulators intensify enforcement of the Digital Markets Act (DMA). According to a report from Germanys Handelsblatt newspaper, the European...

SpaceX IPO Hype Raises Questions as Many Major Stock Debuts Underperform Market

Wall Street investors are eagerly awaiting the expected SpaceX IPO next month, but history suggests that buying into highly valued stock market debuts may not always deliver strong returns. According to a Reuters analysis...

Morgan Stanley Names Top AI Security and Data Center Stocks for 2026

Morgan Stanley has identified five leading companies in the growing Security, Identity, and Data Centers for AI Agents sector, highlighting firms expected to benefit from rising enterprise demand for secure artificial...

Macquarie Names Five Taiwan AI Stocks Set to Benefit From Data Center Growth in 2026

Macquarie has highlighted five major Taiwanese electronics stocks that it believes are well positioned to benefit from rising artificial intelligence infrastructure spending, data center upgrades, and next-generation...