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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

Yen Strengthens as BOJ Signals Rate Hikes; Asian Currencies Slip Ahead of Fed Meeting

The Japanese yen strengthened on Tuesday after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) maintained its interest rates but hinted at potential rate hikes amid rising inflation risks. The USD/JPY pair declined by 0.2%, hovering near the 159...

Asian Stocks Mixed as BOJ Holds Rates, Oil Prices and Fed Outlook Weigh on Markets

Asian stock markets delivered a mixed performance on Tuesday as investors reacted to elevated oil prices, ongoing geopolitical tensions, and the Bank of Japans decision to keep interest rates unchanged. Market sentiment...

Oil Prices Rise Amid U.S.-Iran Tensions and Strait of Hormuz Deadlock

Oil prices moved higher during Asian trading on Tuesday as geopolitical tensions between the United States and Iran continued to weigh on global energy markets. The ongoing stalemate over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical...

Wall Street Futures Rise as Trump Discusses Iran’s Hormuz Strait Proposal and Tech Earnings Loom

Wall Street futures moved slightly higher on Monday evening after major U.S. stock indexes reached new record highs, reflecting cautious optimism among investors. SP 500 Futures climbed 0.2% to 7,217.0 points, while Nasdaq...

BOJ Holds Interest Rates at 0.75% as Policymakers Signal Growing Inflation Concerns

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) decided to keep its benchmark interest rate unchanged at 0.75% following its latest two-day monetary policy meeting, a move that aligned with market expectations. However, the decision revealed a...

Politics

King Charles Addresses U.S. Congress, Emphasizes UK-US Alliance Amid Political Tensions

Britains King Charles III is set to deliver a historic address to the U.S. Congress on Tuesday, reinforcing the long-standing special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. The speech comes at a...

Trump Skeptical of Iran Hormuz Proposal as Nuclear Talks Stall

U.S. President Donald Trump and his national security team remain doubtful about Irans recent proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz while delaying discussions on its nuclear program, according to a Wall Street Journal...

White House Withdraws Trump’s National Park Service Nominee Amid Criticism

The White House has officially withdrawn President Donald Trumps nomination of Scott Socha to lead the National Park Service (NPS), more than two months after it was submitted to the U.S. Senate. The administration did not...

Trump Administration Dismisses Entire National Science Board, Sparking Debate Over Scientific Independence

The Trump administration has removed all members of the National Science Board, a major advisory group that oversees the National Science Foundation (NSF), according to statements from two former board members. The...

Trump Rejects Iran Proposal as War Tensions Push Oil Prices Higher

U.S. President Donald Trump has expressed dissatisfaction with Irans latest proposal aimed at resolving the ongoing two-month conflict, according to a U.S. official. The development has reduced hopes for a near-term...

Science

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...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

Australia Targets Meta, Google, and TikTok With New News Payment Tax Proposal

The Australian government has announced a new plan that could impose multimillion-dollar charges on major tech platforms like Meta, Google, and TikTok if they fail to compensate local media companies for news content...

Lightelligence IPO Soars Over 400% in Hong Kong Debut Amid Rising AI Investment Demand

Shares of Lightelligence, the Shanghai-based optical computing company formerly known as Shanghai Xizhi Technology, delivered an explosive performance during their Hong Kong stock market debut, underscoring strong investor...

OpenAI Faces Revenue Pressure and User Growth Challenges Ahead of IPO

OpenAI is reportedly facing mounting pressure after missing key internal targets for both user growth and revenue, raising concerns about its ability to sustain aggressive spending plans. According to a Wall Street Journal...

Advantest Stock Falls on Weak Outlook Despite Strong AI-Driven Results

Shares of Advantest Corp (TYO:6857) declined on Tuesday after the semiconductor equipment maker issued an annual outlook that fell short of market expectations, overshadowing its strong financial performance driven by...

DeepSeek Slashes AI Model Pricing to Boost Adoption and Challenge Global Rivals

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek has significantly reduced pricing for its latest AI models, signaling a more aggressive push in the rapidly evolving AI services market. The company announced that it has...