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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

Gold Price Today: Gold Slips as Dollar Rebounds Ahead of Fed Minutes

Gold prices edged lower on Monday as the U.S. dollar regained ground after last weeks sharp decline, with investors awaiting the Federal Reserves June meeting minutes for fresh clues on the outlook for U.S. interest rates....

Dollar Rebounds as Euro, Pound Slip Ahead of Fed Minutes, Yen Near Intervention Zone

The U.S. dollar strengthened modestly on Monday, recovering some of last weeks losses as the euro and British pound weakened ahead of key economic data releases and the Federal Reserves June meeting minutes. Investors...

Oil Prices Slip as OPEC+ Boosts August Output, Oversupply Concerns Weigh on Crude Market

Oil prices edged lower in early Asian trading on Monday after OPEC+ agreed to increase production targets for August, adding to expectations of stronger global crude supplies and easing concerns over disruptions in the...

US Stock Futures Rise as Investors Eye Fed Minutes, AI Stocks, and Q2 Earnings

U.S. stock index futures moved higher on Sunday evening as investors prepared for a key week featuring the release of the Federal Reserves June meeting minutes and the unofficial start of the second-quarter earnings...

Gold Price Rises as Softer Dollar and Fed Rate Expectations Boost Bullion Demand

Gold prices climbed during Asian trading on Monday as a weaker U.S. dollar and fading expectations of another Federal Reserve interest rate hike this year supported demand for the precious metal. The recovery extended...

Politics

China Submarine Missile Test Sparks Concern Across Asia-Pacific

China conducted a missile test from a nuclear-powered submarine into the Pacific Ocean on Monday, prompting concern from Japan, Australia, and New Zealand over regional security and military transparency. According to...

UN Rights Council Launches Sudan Probe Over RSF Violence in al-Obeid

The United Nations Human Rights Council on Monday approved a resolution condemning the escalating violence allegedly carried out by Sudans paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in the city of al-Obeid and authorized an...

Russia Strikes Kyiv as Ukraine Faces Patriot Missile Shortage Before NATO Summit

Russia launched a massive overnight missile and drone attack on Kyiv early Monday, killing at least 12 people and injuring more than 50, as Ukraine struggled to intercept ballistic missiles due to a critical shortage of...

Sara Duterte Impeachment Trial Opens, Putting 2028 Philippine Election in Focus

The impeachment trial of Philippine Vice President Sara Duterte officially began on Monday, marking the first impeachment proceedings against a sitting vice president in the countrys history. The closely watched case is...

Flavio Bolsonaro Urges Trump to Delay Brazil Tariffs Until After 2026 Election

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro is set to ask the Trump administration during a hearing in Washington on Monday to postpone a proposed 25% tariff on Brazilian goods until after Brazils October 2026 presidential...

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

Bank of America Upgrades T-Mobile to Buy, Says LEO Satellite Fears Are Overdone

Bank of America upgraded T-Mobile US (NASDAQ: TMUS) to Buy from Neutral on Monday, arguing that the recent selloff in telecom stocks has created an attractive buying opportunity and that investors are overstating the...

Foxconn Q2 Revenue Surges Nearly 40% on Strong AI Server Demand

Foxconn, officially known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, reported a sharp rise in second-quarter revenue as booming demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure continued to drive growth across its cloud and...

Citi Raises TSMC Price Target as AI Chip Demand Strengthens Growth Outlook

Citi has raised its target price for Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) to NT$3,800 from NT$2,875, while maintaining its Buy rating, citing stronger confidence in the chipmakers long-term growth as demand for...

AI Memory Chip Shortage Likely to Persist Despite Korea Investment Boom, Nomura Says

Concerns that a new wave of investment announcements by South Korean memory chipmakers could trigger another memory chip oversupply cycle may be exaggerated, according to Nomura analysts, who believe strong artificial...

Samsung Q2 Profit Seen Soaring as AI Memory Demand Keeps Chip Prices Elevated

Samsung Electronics is expected to report another record-breaking quarter as booming artificial intelligence (AI) demand continues to fuel higher memory chip prices and tighten global supply. Analysts estimate the South...