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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

Will government investment make green hydrogen a reality in Australia?

In the budget last week, the government was keen to talk about its efforts to turn Australia into a renewable superpower under the umbrella of the Future Made in Australia policies. Future Made is a framework that sets...

Small businesses can help South Africa fight unemployment if they get proper support – study

South Africa has an alarming unemployment rate of approximately 32.1%. Solutions have been elusive. The unemployment rate has been consistently high for decades. Our research has revolved around entrepreneurship. We...

Australia is set to ban live sheep exports. What will this mean for the industry?

This month the federal government announced a plan to ban live sheep exports, set to come into effect from May 1 2028. The announcement coincided with the release of a highly anticipated report by an independent panel...

Latest inflation figures are good news

The U.S. economy is slowing, but not crashing. In the dismal science, this is what counts as good news. Thats the message I took away from the latest inflation data, released May 15, 2024, which showed U.S. consumer...

The budget is full of good news, but good news isn’t the same as good management

This years budget has something for everyone, with very little in the way of cuts and no new taxes. Its a classic good news pre-election budget. Whether it is too good to be true hinges on whether this budget...

Politics

Why the US government is intervening in the live music business and could break up Live Nation Entertainment – a music industry scholar explains

The U.S. Justice Department, along with 29 states and the District of Columbia, have filed an antitrust lawsuit against Live Nation Entertainment, the parent company of Ticketmaster. The lawsuit alleges that Live Nation...

6 ways to foster political discourse on college campuses

With deep divisions on college campuses most recently over the conflict in the Gaza Strip and Israel many observers fear that universities are not places where students can discuss divisive issues with people who...

How Iran selects its supreme leader

The sudden death of President Ebrahim Raisi is unlikely to drastically alter Irans foreign and domestic policies, but it has left a power vacuum. As stipulated by the constitution, Raisi was replaced by his first vice...

Why the upcoming South African election a massive milestone for the ruling ANC

South Africans governing party, the African National Congress (ANC), is in trouble. After 30 years in charge, it is scrambling for support ahead of the upcoming national elections. The ANC has run the country since the...

How Modi is using TV, film and social media to sway voters in India’s election

As the worlds largest electorate goes to the polls in India, political parties are seeking to sway voters through popular culture, like film. Although cinema has long reflected and influenced the countrys political and...

Science

Ancient DNA from an extinct native duck reveals how far birds flew to make New Zealand home

Ask a bird lover if they have heard of the extinct giant moa or its ancient predator, Haasts eagle, and the answer will likely be yes. The same cant be said of New Zealands extinct, but equally unique, mergansers a group...

Black holes are mysterious, yet also deceptively simple − a new space mission may help physicists answer hairy questions about these astronomical objects

Physicists consider black holes one of the most mysterious objects that exist. Ironically, theyre also considered one of the simplest. For years, physicists like me have been looking to prove that black holes are more...

Is dark matter’s main rival theory dead? There’s bad news from the Cassini spacecraft and other recent tests

One of the biggest mysteries in astrophysics today is that the forces in galaxies do not seem to add up. Galaxies rotate much faster than predicted by applying Newtons law of gravity to their visible matter, despite those...

Why are algorithms called algorithms? A brief history of the Persian polymath you’ve likely never heard of

Algorithms have become integral to our lives. From social media apps to Netflix, algorithms learn your preferences and prioritise the content you are shown. Google Maps and artificial intelligence are nothing without...

IceCube researchers detect a rare type of energetic neutrino sent from powerful astronomical objects

About a trillion tiny particles called neutrinos pass through you every second. Created during the Big Bang, these relic neutrinos exist throughout the entire universe, but they cant harm you. In fact, only one of them is...

Technology

Shiba Inu and Dogecoin Prices Poised for Sharp Rally in June: Market Analysts

As June begins, investors eagerly anticipate a sharp rally for Shiba Inu and Dogecoin prices. Market analysts are closely watching these meme coins for significant price movements, driven by various macroeconomic factors...

Tesla Cybertruck Police Cruiser Unveiled, Potential Savings of $80K on Fuel Costs: Report

Teslas new Cybertruck police cruiser, with its commanding design, promises to save taxpayers $80,000 annually on fuel costs, according to a recent report. Unplugged Performance Showcases Tesla Cybertruck Police Cruiser,...

Hyundai IONIQ 5 Leads US Production with $7,500 Tax Credit; Chevy Offers No Payments on Equinox, Blazer EVs

Chevy offers no payments on Equinox and Blazer EVs for 120 days, but heres the deal. Meanwhile, Hyundai IONIQ 5 to lead US production at the new EV plant with a $7,500 tax credit in sight. Chevrolet Launches Equinox and...

Ripple CEO Predicts Unavoidable Launch of XRP ETF at Consensus 2024

At Consensus 2024, Ripple CEO Brad Garlinghouse declared that XRP ETFs are inevitable, anticipating the cryptocurrency markets growth to $5 trillion, fueled by recent spot Bitcoin and Ether ETF approvals. Garlinghouse...

US President Joe Biden Vetoes SAB 121 Repeal, Sparks Crypto Industry Backlash

President Joe Biden vetoed the repeal of SECs SAB 121, prioritizing investor and consumer welfare, sparking significant controversy in the cryptocurrency industry. Bidens Veto on SECs Crypto Accounting Bulletin Faces...