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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

US Stocks Rebound as Iran Eases Military Operations; Tech Shares Lead Wall Street Recovery

U.S. stocks opened sharply higher on Monday, recovering from last weeks steep market decline as investors reacted positively to reports that Iran had ended its military operations against Israel. The development helped...

Switzerland Population Cap Referendum Sparks Economic and Immigration Debate

Switzerland will vote on June 14, 2026, in a closely watched referendum that could cap the countrys population at 10 million people. The proposal, backed by the right-wing Swiss Peoples Party (SVP), has drawn comparisons...

Vietnam Prioritizes Fiscal Stimulus as Monetary Policy Space Narrows

Vietnam is expected to rely more heavily on expansionary fiscal policies to achieve its ambitious economic growth targets, while the scope for further monetary easing remains limited, according to Deputy Governor of the...

BoE Policymaker Alan Taylor Signals No Need for Interest Rate Hike Amid Iran War Inflation Risks

Bank of England (BoE) policymaker Alan Taylor has indicated that the UKs current interest rate level remains restrictive enough to manage inflation, despite growing concerns over price pressures linked to the ongoing...

Goldman Sachs Sees Fed Holding Interest Rates Steady Until 2027

Goldman Sachs has revised its outlook for U.S. monetary policy, predicting that the Federal Reserve will keep interest rates unchanged through 2026 and postpone any rate cuts until 2027. The updated forecast reflects...

Politics

Kosovo Election 2026: Albin Kurti’s Party Wins Most Votes but Falls Short of Majority

Prime Minister Albin Kurtis Vetevendosje party emerged as the leading force in Kosovos 2026 parliamentary election, securing the largest share of votes but failing to obtain the outright majority needed to end the countrys...

Israel Strikes Iran Petrochemical Site as Trump Presses for Restraint Amid Peace Talks

Israel launched fresh airstrikes on Iranian targets Monday, including the Mahshahr petrochemical complex in southwestern Iran, marking the first reported attack on an energy facility since the April ceasefire. Iranian...

Peru Presidential Election Too Close to Call as Ipsos Quick Count Shows Statistical Tie

Perus presidential election remains on a knife-edge after an early Ipsos quick count showed Roberto Sanchez holding a narrow lead over Keiko Fujimori, highlighting one of the closest presidential races in the countrys...

Trump Says Iran Sanctions and Frozen Assets Will Remain Until Peace Deal Is Reached

U.S. President Donald Trump has stated that the United States will not unfreeze Iranian assets or lift sanctions on Iran until a formal peace agreement is finalized. In an interview with NBC News Meet the Press, Trump...

Trump Urges Restraint as Israel-Iran Tensions Threaten Fragile Peace Talks

U.S. President Donald Trump has reportedly urged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to launch a retaliatory strike against Iran following a new missile exchange that threatens ongoing efforts to secure a broader...

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

Naver Stock Jumps on NVIDIA Partnership to Build South Korea’s AI Infrastructure

Naver Corp. (KS:035420) shares surged on Monday after the South Korean technology giant announced a major artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA). The news fueled strong investor...

Nvidia Expands South Korea AI Partnerships to Strengthen Data Center and Memory Chip Supply

Nvidia has announced a series of strategic partnerships with leading South Korean technology companies as the AI chip giant seeks to strengthen its supply chain and accelerate the growth of its artificial intelligence...

Bouygues, Orange and Iliad Strike €20.35 Billion Deal to Acquire SFR

Frances telecom sector is on the verge of a major transformation after Bouygues Telecom, Orange, and Free, part of the Iliad Group, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Altice France to acquire telecom operator...

US Officials Explore AI Company Equity Stakes Ahead of OpenAI and Anthropic IPO Plans

Senior U.S. government officials have reportedly held preliminary discussions with leading artificial intelligence companies regarding the possibility of the federal government acquiring equity stakes in their businesses....

Switch Eyes Multi-Billion-Dollar Funding Round at $50 Billion Valuation Ahead of Potential IPO

Data center operator Switch is reportedly in discussions to raise billions of dollars in a new funding round that could value the company at more than $50 billion, according to a report from The Information. The potential...