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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

Middle East Ceasefire Hopes Lift Asian Markets as Oil Prices Retreat

Asian equities are on track for a second consecutive week of strong gains as easing tensions in the Middle East push oil prices further below the $100-per-barrel threshold. Investors are growing increasingly optimistic...

U.S. Stock Futures Hold Steady After S&P 500 and Nasdaq Hit Record Highs

U.S. stock index futures traded with little movement on Thursday evening following a second consecutive session of record-breaking gains for major benchmark indexes. Improved geopolitical sentiment and easing Middle East...

Gold Prices Dip Slightly But Hold Weekly Gains Amid U.S.-Iran Ceasefire Hopes

Gold prices edged lower during Asian trading hours on Friday, though the precious metal remained on track to post modest gains for the week. Investor sentiment continued to be shaped by ongoing diplomatic developments...

U.S. Dollar Steadies Near Multi-Week Lows Amid Iran Peace Talk Hopes and Global Market Shifts

The U.S. dollar held relatively steady on Thursday, trading near its weakest point since March as investors closely monitored developments surrounding potential U.S.-Iran peace negotiations. The U.S. Dollar Index edged up...

Oil Prices Dip as Middle East Peace Hopes Grow Amid Iran-U.S. Talks

Global oil prices edged lower in early Friday trading as optimism surrounding a potential resolution to the Middle East conflict weighed on crude markets. A 10-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel taking effect,...

Politics

China Navigates Diplomatic Tightrope Between Iran Peace Efforts and Trump Summit

China is intensifying its push to end the Iran war while carefully balancing its relationship with Tehran ahead of a pivotal summit between President Xi Jinping and U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for mid-May. As the...

Myanmar Grants Amnesty to Over 4,000 Prisoners Under New President Min Aung Hlaing

Myanmars newly elected President Min Aung Hlaing has approved the release of 4,335 prisoners, according to state broadcaster MRTV, marking the third amnesty issued in the country within six months. The announcement did not...

France and Britain Lead 40-Nation Talks to Reopen Strait of Hormuz

France and Britain are set to co-chair a high-stakes diplomatic meeting bringing together approximately 40 nations to address the growing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz. The gathering signals that key U.S. allies are...

ICE Acting Director Todd Lyons to Exit Federal Government at End of May

Todd Lyons, the acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, is set to depart from federal service on May 31, 2026, transitioning to the private sector. The announcement came from Department of Homeland...

Iran-Lebanon War: Ceasefire Reached as U.S. and Iran Edge Closer to Nuclear Deal

A fragile but significant ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel took effect Thursday, as President Donald Trump signaled that a broader peace agreement with Iran may be within reach. The development marks a pivotal moment...

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

OpenAI's $20 Billion Cerebras Deal Signals Massive AI Infrastructure Push

OpenAI is reportedly set to spend over $20 billion with AI chip startup Cerebras over the next three years, marking a significant expansion of an already substantial computing partnership. According to The Information, the...

Tesla's Terafab: AI Chip Factory Eyes Taiwan's Semiconductor Talent

Tesla is actively recruiting semiconductor engineers in Taiwan for its ambitious Terafab project a fully vertically integrated AI chip manufacturing facility that aims to consolidate logic, memory, packaging, testing, and...

Japan to Subsidize Sony's Image Sensor Plant in Kumamoto with $380 Million

The Japanese government has announced plans to provide Sony with subsidies of up to 60 billion yen, equivalent to approximately $380 million, to support the construction of an image sensor manufacturing facility in...

NiSource Signs Long-Term Energy Deals with Alphabet and Amazon to Power Indiana Data Centers

NiSource, a U.S. utility company, has secured a long-term energy supply agreement with an Alphabet subsidiary to power a major data center in northern Indiana. The announcement also included an expanded partnership with...

TSMC Posts Record Q1 Profit Fueled by AI Chip Demand

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (NYSE: TSM), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, delivered a record-breaking first-quarter profit in 2026, surpassing analyst expectations as artificial intelligence continues...