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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 Debt Tops $40 Trillion as Global Borrowing Costs Surge

U.S. government debt has surpassed $40 trillion for the first time, highlighting growing fiscal pressures as major economies face rising spending demands from ageing populations, defence, climate change and higher interest...

UK Budget Swings to Surprise £1.8 Billion Deficit in July

Britain recorded an unexpected 1.8 billion ($2.5 billion) budget deficit in July, as inflation-driven government spending outweighed record self-assessed income tax receipts, highlighting continued pressure on the UKs...

US Plans ‘Toughest Sanctions in History’ on Iran, Bessent Says

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington is preparing to impose sweeping new sanctions on Iran, reinforcing President Donald Trumps push to intensify economic pressure on Tehran amid ongoing tensions and...

South Korea Producer Prices Fall 0.4% in July

South Koreas producer prices fell in July for the first time in nearly a year, as lower global crude oil prices helped offset rising agricultural costs caused by extreme summer heat. The producer price index (PPI) declined...

Japan Inflation Rises, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Bets

Japans inflation accelerated for a third consecutive month in July, strengthening expectations that the Bank of Japan could raise interest rates again in the coming months as underlying price pressures intensify. Japans...

Politics

Prince Harry Faces Potential Multi-Million-Pound Legal Bill in Daily Mail Case

Prince Harry could soon learn how many millions of pounds he and other claimants must pay toward the legal costs of the publisher of the Daily Mail after losing a high-profile privacy lawsuit. On Friday, London High Court...

Russia Arrests Nine Over Alleged Ukraine-Linked Attack Plans

Russian authorities have arrested nine people in separate cases involving alleged plans to target strategic infrastructure and government sites, according to state news agencies citing the Federal Security Service (FSB)....

Trump Eyes Kim Jong Un Summit as North Korea Sets Tough Terms

U.S. President Donald Trump is seeking another meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un later this year, but Pyongyangs guarded response suggests renewed diplomacy could depend on major changes in U.S. policy toward...

Myanmar Military Pushes to Clear Land for Russia-Backed Dawei SEZ

Myanmars military has deployed hundreds of troops around the Russia-backed Dawei Special Economic Zone (SEZ), as authorities seek to revive the strategically important project in the countrys southern Tanintharyi Region....

Imran Khan Returns to Prison After Islamabad Hospital Visit

Pakistans former Prime Minister Imran Khan returned to prison on Friday after spending several hours overnight at an Islamabad hospital for a medical examination ordered by the countrys Supreme Court. Khan, 73, was...

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

Samsung Shares Rise on $72 Billion Shareholder Return Plan

Samsung Electronics shares climbed on Friday following reports that the South Korean technology giant is preparing a shareholder return package potentially exceeding 100 trillion won ($72 billion). Samsungs board is...

Alibaba Shares Fall as AI Spending Hits Profit

Alibaba shares dropped nearly 3% in Hong Kong trading on Friday after the Chinese technology giant reported a steep decline in quarterly profit, as aggressive artificial intelligence investment weighed on earnings and cash...

Samsung Eyes $72 Billion Shareholder Return Plan as AI Chip Boom Fuels Profits

Samsung Electronics is reportedly preparing a new shareholder return policy worth more than 100 trillion won ($71.75 billion), as booming demand for artificial intelligence chips drives expectations of record profits at...

SK Hynix Shares Surge on Record $28.6 Billion Buyback

SK Hynix shares staged a strong rebound on Thursday after the South Korean memory-chip giant announced a record 40 trillion won ($28.6 billion) share buyback and cancellation plan, providing fresh confidence to investors...

OpenAI Revenue Rises 18% in Q2 as Losses Widen and Anthropic Surges Ahead

OpenAI reported an 18% increase in second-quarter revenue, but widening losses and rapid growth at rival Anthropic are adding pressure on the ChatGPT maker, according to The Wall Street Journal. OpenAI told investors that...