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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 Mixed as OpenAI Revenue Concerns Hit Chipmakers

Asian stock markets traded unevenly on Friday as semiconductor shares declined following fresh concerns about OpenAIs revenue outlook, while rising oil prices and volatile bond markets weighed on investor sentiment. The...

Gold Prices Rise as Dollar Weakens, Treasury Yields Fall

Gold prices climbed during Asian trading on Friday, supported by a weaker U.S. dollar and falling Treasury yields, as investors assessed inflation concerns driven by rising oil prices and expectations of further Federal...

Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Eyes Fourth Weekly Gain

Asian currencies traded largely flat on Friday as the U.S. dollar headed for its fourth consecutive weekly gain, supported by expectations that the Federal Reserve could raise interest rates again before the end of 2026....

US, EU Push for Action Against Asia’s Excess Factory Capacity

U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Thursday that European Union countries have reached a broad consensus on the need to address global manufacturing overcapacity, particularly in Asia, as concerns grow over its...

Wall Street Falls as Oil Prices Rise and Tech Stocks Slide

Wall Street stocks declined for a second consecutive session on Thursday as rising oil prices, Treasury market volatility, and concerns over OpenAIs revenue outlook weighed on investor sentiment. At 13:07 ET, the SP 500...

Politics

Venezuela’s Machado Calls for Elections by July 2027

Venezuelan opposition leader Maria Corina Machado has called for presidential elections in Venezuela next year, saying the country has sufficient time to organize a vote by July 2027, according to a Financial Times report...

RFK Jr. Launches Nationwide Vaccine Safety Review

US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has launched a department-wide initiative to investigate and document reported health problems following vaccination, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced...

Zelenskiy Slams US Over Deadly Russian Strikes on Ukraine

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy criticized the United States for its reluctance to provide additional military support after Russian airstrikes killed dozens of civilians across Ukraine, intensifying tensions over...

Flavio Bolsonaro Leads Lula 49%-45% in Brazil Runoff Poll

Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro holds a narrow lead over President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva ahead of the October 25 presidential runoff election, according to a Datafolha poll released Thursday. However, the results...

Trump Buys Up to $25M in Meta Stock, Invests in SpaceX Debt

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ: META) shares briefly climbed more than 1% after President Donald Trumps latest financial disclosure revealed a stock purchase worth up to $25 million. The shares later trimmed their gains as...

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

Apple Cuts iPhone 18 Pro Production Orders Amid Weak Demand

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) has reportedly instructed several suppliers to reduce component production for its newly released iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max, signaling potential challenges for the companys latest...

OpenAI Revenue Hits $50 Billion, Below Earlier $70 Billion Estimate

OpenAI has informed investors that its annualized revenue reached nearly $50 billion in September, significantly below the $70 billion previously indicated, according to a Reuters report on Thursday. The revised figure...

OpenAI Annualized Revenue Hits $50 Billion, Below Earlier Estimates

OpenAIs annualized revenue reached approximately $50 billion by the end of September 2026, significantly below the $70 billion previously reported to investors, according to financial documents reviewed by the Financial...

Oracle Uses Trucked Natural Gas to Power AI Data Centers Amid Pipeline Delays

Oracle Corp. is transporting natural gas by truck to several data centers across the United States as delays in pipeline construction threaten the companys artificial intelligence infrastructure expansion plans, Bloomberg...

Apple Names Steve Smith M&A Chief in Leadership Shakeup

Apple Inc. is making significant changes to its executive leadership, appointing Steve Smith as its new head of mergers and acquisitions (MA) as the technology giant continues restructuring its management team under newly...