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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

US Alcohol Ban Exposes Canada’s Internal Trade Barriers

A new US ban on many Canadian alcohol imports is putting fresh pressure on Canadas brewers, distillers and winemakers, but provincial trade barriers are making it difficult for producers to replace lost American sales at...

US Stocks Slip as Treasury Yields Ease, AI Trade Rebounds

U.S. stocks ended slightly lower Tuesday, recovering from deeper losses as Treasury yields retreated from multi-decade highs following dovish comments from a Federal Reserve policymaker. Renewed enthusiasm around...

Trump Eyes $54 Billion South Korean Investment in Alaska LNG

President Donald Trump could announce as early as Wednesday that his administration plans to direct South Koreas strategic investment fund toward several major U.S. projects, including roughly $54 billion for the proposed...

Fed’s Williams Signals One More Rate Hike Before Year-End

Federal Reserve Bank of New York President John Williams said Tuesday that policymakers have time to assess incoming economic data before deciding on their next interest rate move, although he still expects one additional...

US Dollar Hits Two-Month High as Aussie, Pound Slide

The U.S. dollar climbed to a two-month high on Tuesday as investors weighed easing oil prices, volatile Treasury yields and shifting expectations for Federal Reserve monetary policy. The U.S. Dollar Index (DXY), which...

Politics

TSA Removes Chairs for Airport ID Check Officers

The U.S. Transportation Security Administration is removing chairs from airport security checkpoints, meaning TSA officers checking passenger identification will no longer be able to sit while performing the task. The...

US Appeals Court Keeps Trump IRS Case Sanctions in Place

A US appeals court on Tuesday declined to immediately halt sanctions stemming from President Donald Trumps $10 billion lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service, leaving a federal judges restrictions in effect while the...

UN Condemns Myanmar Airstrike That Kills 50 in Rakhine

The United Nations has condemned a deadly Myanmar military airstrike in Rakhine state that reportedly killed 50 people and wounded at least 58 others near the border with Bangladesh. UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said...

US Sanctions Iran Weapons Procurement Network

The United States imposed new sanctions on 13 individuals and entities on Tuesday, targeting an international network accused of helping Iran acquire weapons, military equipment and critical components. The measures,...

UN Extends Haiti Security Force Mandate Ahead of Elections

The United Nations Security Council voted Tuesday to extend the mandate of the international Gang Suppression Force (GSF) in Haiti for another six months as the country prepares for its first elections in a decade amid...

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

Google Pays Publishers for AI Search Content in New Pilot

Google is reportedly paying around 100 digital publishers to provide content for its artificial intelligence-powered search features, marking a notable change in the technology giants longstanding relationship with online...

Trump, Tech Leaders Sign ‘Morally Binding’ AI Safety Accord

President Donald Trump and executives from major technology companies signed a voluntary artificial intelligence agreement in Washington on Tuesday, establishing a set of principles intended to guide the development and...

Apple CEO John Ternus Plans Major Overhaul

Apple Inc. (NASDAQ: AAPL) CEO John Ternus is reportedly moving quickly to reshape the technology giant, launching a broad organizational overhaul just weeks after taking the top job. His strategy focuses on speeding up...

TD Cowen Starts SpaceX at Buy, Sees AI Compute Driving Growth

TD Cowen initiated coverage of SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) with a Buy rating and a $200 price target, pointing to artificial intelligence computing as a major near-term growth engine alongside the companys expanding space...

OpenAI Seeks $30 Billion at $1.4 Trillion Valuation

OpenAI is reportedly seeking to raise at least $30 billion from investors in a new funding round after postponing plans for an initial public offering, according to Bloomberg, citing people familiar with the discussions....