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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

BOJ June Rate Hike Likely as Inflation Risks Rise Amid Middle East Tensions

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to raise interest rates at its June 16 policy meeting, unless a major escalation in the Middle East conflict triggers severe market disruption, according to sources familiar with...

US Dollar Holds Near Two-Month High as Fed Rate Outlook and Middle East Tensions Boost Demand

The U.S. dollar remained close to a two-month high on Thursday after posting strong gains in the previous session, supported by escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and growing expectations that the Federal...

Australia Passes Major Tax Reform Bill to Boost Housing Affordability and Cut Taxes for Workers

Australias House of Representatives has approved a landmark tax reform bill that represents the governments most significant overhaul of the tax system in decades. The legislation, designed to improve housing affordability...

Indonesia Passes New Central Bank Law, Raising Investor Concerns Over Policy Independence

Indonesias parliament has approved a sweeping new law that expands the role of Bank Indonesia in supporting economic growth while granting lawmakers greater authority to evaluate the countrys independent financial...

Asian Currencies Stabilize as U.S. Dollar Remains Strong Ahead of Key Jobs Data

Asian currencies steadied on Thursday after experiencing significant losses in the previous session, as the U.S. dollar remained close to a two-month high. Investors continued to monitor escalating Middle East tensions and...

Politics

Israeli Airstrikes in Gaza Kill Nine Palestinians as Ceasefire Efforts Remain Stalled

At least nine Palestinians, including five members of the same family, were killed in separate Israeli airstrikes across the Gaza Strip early Thursday, according to local health officials. The latest Gaza attacks highlight...

Netanyahu Faces Growing Voter Backlash in Northern Israel Ahead of 2026 Election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing declining political support in northern Israel, a region heavily affected by Hezbollah rocket and drone attacks, according to a recent poll conducted by Agam Labs at the...

AMLO Accuses U.S. of Interference as Mexico-U.S. Tensions Escalate in 2026

Former Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has accused the United States of using interventionist and unscrupulous practices to strengthen Mexicos right-wing opposition and weaken the countrys...

Meta Challenges Australia’s Proposed Tech Tax, Citing U.S. Trade Agreement Concerns

Meta has intensified its opposition to Australias proposed tax on major technology companies, arguing that the measure could violate the Australia-United States Free Trade Agreement and create new tensions between the...

Taiwan Urges China to Acknowledge Tiananmen Square Crackdown on 37th Anniversary

Taiwan has called on China to confront the legacy of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown as the world marked the 37th anniversary of the deadly pro-democracy protests in Beijing. The appeal came from Taiwan President Lai...

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

Jensen Huang Strengthens Nvidia’s South Korea Ties Amid AI Expansion

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang is set to make his second visit to South Korea in just seven months, underscoring the countrys growing importance in the global artificial intelligence ecosystem. Beyond high-level business...

Meta Delays Release of New AI Model as API Rollout Remains Uncertain

Meta Platforms Inc. (NASDAQ: META) has reportedly postponed the release of its latest artificial intelligence model to developers several times, with no confirmed launch date currently in place. According to a Wall Street...

CrowdStrike Beats Q1 FY2027 Expectations, Raises Outlook Despite After-Hours Stock Decline

CrowdStrike Holdings (NASDAQ: CRWD) delivered stronger-than-expected first-quarter fiscal 2027 results, driven by accelerating demand for AI-powered cybersecurity solutions. The company reported robust revenue growth,...

Quantinuum Raises $1.68 Billion in Upsized Nasdaq IPO Amid Growing Quantum Computing Demand

Quantinuum, a leading quantum computing company backed by Honeywell (NASDAQ: HON), has successfully raised $1.68 billion through an upsized U.S. initial public offering (IPO), highlighting strong investor confidence in the...

Hyundai, Nvidia, and South Korea Near Deal for Major AI Technology Center

Hyundai Motor, Nvidia, and the South Korean government are reportedly in the final stages of negotiations to establish a major artificial intelligence (AI) technology center in South Korea, according to a report by the...