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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

Japan PM Sanae Takaichi Unveils Growth Plan as BOJ Independence Concerns Lift Bond Yields

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi unveiled her first economic policy blueprint on Tuesday, pledging to increase investment in strategic growth sectors while reaffirming cooperation with the Bank of Japan (BOJ)....

Asian Currencies Hold Steady as Middle East Tensions Boost US Dollar, Oil Concerns

Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Tuesday as investors remained cautious over escalating conflict in the Middle East, supporting the U.S. dollar while rising oil prices pressured currencies across the regions...

US Dollar Holds Near One-Week High as Middle East Tensions and Oil Prices Drive Market Sentiment

The U.S. dollar remained close to a one-week high on Tuesday as investors balanced escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East against growing hopes for a potential ceasefire. Currency markets stayed cautious as...

Gold Climbs Above $4,000 as Middle East Tensions and Fed Outlook Drive Safe-Haven Demand

Gold prices moved higher on Monday, climbing back above the key $4,000-per-ounce level as investors balanced rising geopolitical tensions in the Middle East with expectations for the U.S. Federal Reserves next policy...

Asian Stocks Rise as Oil Retreats on Iran Ceasefire Hopes Ahead of Key AI Earnings

Asian stock markets advanced on Tuesday as easing oil prices and renewed hopes for a ceasefire between Iran and the United States improved investor sentiment, although caution remained ahead of major technology earnings...

Politics

Trump-Aligned MAGA Inc Builds $400 Million War Chest Ahead of Midterm Elections

MAGA Inc, the super political action committee aligned with U.S. President Donald Trump, has accumulated more than $400 million as Republicans prepare for the November U.S. midterm elections, according to a new filing with...

Civil Rights Groups Sue Trump Administration Over Childcare Funding Freeze and Influencer's Role

Civil rights organizations have filed a lawsuit against President Donald Trumps administration, challenging its attempt to restrict billions of dollars in federal childcare and family assistance funding while seeking...

ASEAN Summit Faces Pressure as U.S.-Iran Conflict, South China Sea Tensions Dominate Agenda

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and key global partners are meeting in Manila this week as rising geopolitical tensions threaten to overshadow the regional diplomatic agenda. The...

China Conducts Live-Fire Naval Drill Near Japan’s Okinotori Island Amid Joint Operation With Russia

China conducted a live-fire naval exercise near Japans remote Okinotori Island over the weekend while operating alongside Russian warships, marking another sign of expanding military cooperation between Beijing and Moscow...

Trump Administration Weighs Ending Support for UN Refugee Agency UNHCR

The Trump administration has recently considered ending U.S. engagement with the United Nations refugee agency (UNHCR), according to multiple Reuters sources, raising concerns about the future of one of the worlds largest...

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

Nvidia Reveals 9.3% Stake in AI Cloud Firm Nebius Following $2 Billion Investment

Nvidia has disclosed that it holds a 9.3% stake in AI cloud infrastructure company Nebius, further strengthening its presence in the rapidly expanding artificial intelligence ecosystem. The disclosure follows Nvidias...

SpaceX Q2 Earnings on Aug. 4 Set Stage for Historic Insider Share Unlock

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) will report its second-quarter 2026 financial results after the market closes on August 4, marking its first earnings release since its record-breaking initial public offering. The company will also...

Samsung Cuts U.S. Consumer Electronics Jobs as Headquarters Moves to Texas

Samsung Electronics has reduced its workforce in the United States as it relocates the headquarters of its consumer electronics business from New Jersey to Texas, affecting hundreds of employees while maintaining that the...

ASML Trillion-Dollar Valuation: Can Europe’s AI Chip Giant Reach the Historic Milestone?

The global artificial intelligence boom has fueled a remarkable rise in ASMLs market value, positioning the Dutch semiconductor equipment maker as Europes most valuable listed technology company. Following...

Bank of America Says These Overlooked AI Stocks Could Be the Next Winners

While semiconductor companies, AI hardware makers, and the Magnificent Seven have dominated the artificial intelligence rally, Bank of America believes the next phase of AI-driven gains could come from less obvious...