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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

Qatar LNG Exports Plunge 96% as U.S.-Iran War Disrupts Gulf Energy Trade

Qatar has emerged as one of the biggest economic casualties of the six-month U.S.-Iran war, with liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports plunging 96% as the conflict severely disrupts energy shipments through the Gulf. The...

Gold Prices Hover Near Three-Month High as Oil, Treasury Yields Fall

Gold prices slipped slightly on Wednesday but remained close to a three-month high as falling oil prices and lower U.S. Treasury yields eased inflation concerns ahead of key Federal Reserve signals. Spot gold, or XAU/USD,...

Japan Eyes Tax Changes to Curb Condo Speculation

Japans land ministry is preparing to seek tax reforms for fiscal 2027 aimed at curbing speculative condominium transactions that have contributed to rising home prices in major urban areas, according to a Nikkei report....

Australia Inflation Beats Forecasts, Raising RBA Rate Hike Risk

Australias inflation remained hotter than expected in July, increasing pressure on the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) to consider further interest rate hikes as underlying price growth stayed elevated. The consumer price...

Asian Currencies Mixed as Aussie Dollar Rises on Hot Inflation

Asian currencies traded in a mixed range on Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar remained relatively steady as investors awaited key U.S. inflation data for fresh signals on the Federal Reserves interest rate outlook. The...

Politics

Trump Floats ‘Lake America’ Rename as US-Canada Trade Tensions Deepen

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that his administration is considering renaming Lake Ontario as Lake America, as tensions between the United States and Canada escalate following the collapse of bilateral trade...

Trump Administration Pauses Visa Appointments Worldwide

President Donald Trumps administration has temporarily paused or rescheduled visa appointments at U.S. embassies and consulates worldwide as the State Department launches a global training program for consular officers. A...

U.S. Caribbean Vessel Strike Kills Four in Latest Anti-Drug Operation

The U.S. military said four people were killed in a strike on a vessel in the Caribbean on Tuesday, marking the latest attack in Washingtons campaign against suspected drug-trafficking operations at sea. U.S. Southern...

CIA Director John Ratcliffe Visits Moscow for Talks With Russian Officials

U.S. CIA Director John Ratcliffe traveled to Moscow on Tuesday for meetings with Russian officials, according to U.S. media reports, marking a rare high-level intelligence visit amid heightened tensions involving Russia,...

Taiwan Foreign Minister Heads to Palau for Pacific Islands Summit Events

Taiwan Foreign Minister Lin Chia-lung will travel to Palau this week to attend events linked to a major summit of Pacific island leaders, as geopolitical competition between Taiwan and China continues to intensify across...

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

SoftBank Eyes $20 Billion Bond Sale to Refinance OpenAI Loan

SoftBank Group is reportedly considering a bond offering worth between $10 billion and $20 billion as the Japanese technology conglomerate looks to refinance borrowing linked to its massive investment in OpenAI. The...

OpenAI Data Center Chief Chris Malone Exits Ahead of Planned 2027 Listing

Chris Malone, OpenAIs head of data centers, left the artificial intelligence company last week, marking another senior departure as the ChatGPT maker prepares for a planned 2027 listing, according to the Wall Street...

Meta, U.S. States Discuss Settlement in Teen Addiction Trial

Meta Platforms and attorneys general representing several U.S. states have held discussions over a potential settlement as the Facebook and Instagram parent faces a federal trial over allegations that its social media...

Google Expands Gemini Enterprise With AI Tools for Legal Sector

Google has expanded its Gemini Enterprise artificial intelligence platform with new tools designed for lawyers and law firms, intensifying competition among major technology companies seeking a larger share of the growing...

Luxshare Shares Rise as First-Half Profit Jumps 18%

Luxshare Precision Industry shares gained on Monday after the major Apple supplier reported strong first-half earnings and projected double-digit profit growth for the first nine months of the year, supported by expanding...