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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

Asian Stocks Slide Ahead of Nvidia Earnings as Tech Shares Tumble

Asian stock markets declined sharply on Wednesday as investors pulled back from technology and semiconductor stocks ahead of Nvidias highly anticipated quarterly earnings report. The cautious mood followed another weak...

Asian Currencies Stay Rangebound as Dollar Holds Near Six-Week High Amid Iran War Concerns

Asian currencies traded within a narrow range on Wednesday as the U.S. dollar remained close to a six-week high, supported by growing expectations of another Federal Reserve rate hike and ongoing uncertainty surrounding...

Rubio to Push NATO Defense Spending, Strengthen India Ties During Key Diplomatic Tour

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is set to visit Sweden and India this week for high-level diplomatic talks focused on NATO defense spending, regional security, trade cooperation, and energy stability. The trip comes as...

Fed’s Anna Paulson Signals Rates Could Stay Higher Longer Amid Inflation Risks

Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia President Anna Paulson said Tuesday that financial markets are right to consider the possibility of future U.S. interest rate hikes as inflation pressures continue to linger. Speaking...

Nvidia Earnings in Focus as U.S. Stock Futures Hold Steady Amid Rising Treasury Yields

U.S. stock futures traded mostly flat Tuesday night as investors turned cautious ahead of Nvidias highly anticipated quarterly earnings report. Concerns over rising Treasury yields, stubborn inflation, and geopolitical...

Politics

Georgia GOP Senate Primary Heads to Runoff as Collins and Dooley Advance

Georgias Republican Senate primary will move to a runoff after U.S. Representative Mike Collins and former college football coach Derek Dooley emerged as the top candidates in Tuesdays election. With about 80% of votes...

US Expands Criminal Investigation Into Nicolas Maduro With New Florida Probe

The U.S. Justice Department is reportedly pursuing a second criminal investigation into former Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, increasing the likelihood that he could face additional federal charges in the United...

Kast Reshuffles Cabinet as Chile Pushes Tougher Security Agenda

Chilean President Jose Antonio Kast has announced major cabinet changes as his administration intensifies its focus on public security, migration control, and economic reform. The reshuffle comes just two months after Kast...

UK Diplomat James Roscoe Leaves Washington Embassy Role Amid Leadership Changes

James Roscoe, Britains second most senior diplomat in Washington, has stepped down from his position at the British Embassy in the United States, according to a statement released by the UK Foreign Office on Wednesday. The...

Venezuela to Release 300 Prisoners Amid Ongoing Human Rights Debate

Venezuelas National Assembly President Jorge Rodriguez announced Tuesday that the government will release 300 prisoners between Monday and Friday, drawing renewed attention to the countrys prison system and human rights...

Science

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...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

Technology

SpaceX IPO Nears as Goldman Sachs Set to Lead Historic $75 Billion Offering

Goldman Sachs is expected to secure the prestigious lead-left position for SpaceXs highly anticipated initial public offering, according to reports from the Wall Street Journal. Morgan Stanley will also play a major role...

Blackstone and Google Launch AI Cloud Venture, Pressuring CoreWeave and Nebius Shares

Shares of CoreWeave and Nebius fell nearly 4.5% on Tuesday after Blackstone and Google announced a major joint venture focused on building a new artificial intelligence cloud infrastructure company powered by Googles...

Mistral AI Acquires Emmi AI to Expand Industrial AI Solutions in Europe

French artificial intelligence company Mistral AI has acquired Austrian startup Emmi AI in a strategic move to strengthen its industrial AI capabilities across Europe. The deal, announced Tuesday, highlights the growing...

Tencent Shares Jump 4% as AI Models Move Toward Paid Commercial Services

Tencent Holdings (HK:0700) shares surged more than 4% on Tuesday after the Chinese tech giant announced plans to commercialize several of its artificial intelligence models, signaling a stronger push into monetizing AI...

Analog Devices Nears $1.5B Acquisition of AI Chip Firm Empower Semiconductor

U.S. semiconductor giant Analog Devices is reportedly in advanced discussions to acquire AI-focused chipmaker Empower Semiconductor in a deal valued at approximately $1.5 billion in cash, according to a Bloomberg News...