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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

Global Markets Brace for Fed Rate Hike as Oil Tops $91

The Japanese yen stabilized near the critical 160-per-dollar level on Tuesday as currency markets remained cautious amid rising U.S. interest-rate expectations, renewed U.S.-Iran tensions and surging oil prices. USD/JPY...

Bessent Urges Japan on Fiscal Discipline, BOJ Rate Hikes

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has urged Japanese policymakers to outline a credible path toward fiscal sustainability and higher interest rates as pressure on the yen and government bond markets intensifies,...

Japan Bond Yields Top 3% as Inflation, Fiscal Risks Rise

Japans benchmark government bond yields climbed above 3% on Tuesday for the first time since September 1996, as investors weighed persistent inflation, growing fiscal concerns and expectations for further interest rate...

India Manufacturing Growth Slows to Five-Year Low in August

Indias manufacturing sector expanded at its weakest pace in five years in August as softer demand weighed on new orders, production and employment, according to the latest private-sector survey. The HSBC India...

Australia Current Account Deficit Widens to A$27.2 Billion

Australias current account deficit widened in the second quarter of 2026, but the increase was smaller than economists had forecast as stronger exports partly offset rising import costs. The current account recorded a...

Politics

US Approves $800 Million Helicopter Sale to Iraq

The U.S. State Department has approved a potential $800 million military helicopter sale to Iraq, strengthening defense cooperation between Washington and Baghdad as Iraq continues efforts to modernize its armed forces....

China Warns Over Taiwan’s Pacific Islands Forum Presence

China has raised strong objections to Taiwans participation in the Pacific Islands Forum in Palau, warning of unspecified consequences as tensions over Beijings influence in the Pacific take center stage at the regional...

U.S., New Zealand Fund $60M Cook Islands Port Upgrade

The United States and New Zealand will jointly fund a major upgrade of a World War Two-era port in the Cook Islands, strengthening Western infrastructure investment in the Pacific as China expands its regional influence....

South Korea Unveils Record $597 Billion 2027 Budget to Boost AI and Chips

South Korea has proposed a record 821 trillion won ($596.92 billion) government budget for 2027, sharply increasing fiscal spending as the country seeks to strengthen its position in artificial intelligence, semiconductors...

Ukraine Sanctions Chief Heads to Washington to Push Russia Bill

Ukraines top sanctions official will visit Washington this week to press U.S. lawmakers to approve sweeping new Russia sanctions legislation that has already cleared the Senate but faces resistance in the House of...

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

OpenAI Rejects Apple Trade Secret Theft Claims

OpenAI has denied Apples allegations that it obtained confidential trade secrets through former Apple employees, arguing that the iPhone maker has failed to provide evidence showing proprietary information was stolen. In a...

MediaTek Shares Jump 10% on Nvidia’s $3.5 Billion Investment

MediaTek shares surged nearly 10% on Tuesday after Nvidia announced a $3.5 billion investment in the Taiwanese semiconductor designer, strengthening a strategic partnership focused on artificial intelligence...

Apple’s Phil Schiller Steps Back as Leadership Shake-Up Accelerates

Apple veteran Phil Schiller has stepped away from overseeing the App Store and the companys high-profile product launch events, marking another major leadership change as the iPhone maker prepares for a new era under...

SpaceX Mobile Network Could Cost Up to $130 Billion, Bernstein Says

SpaceX (NASDAQ: SPCX) could spend between $50 billion and $130 billion, including spectrum costs, to develop a standalone terrestrial network supporting its direct-to-device mobile service, according to Bernstein analysts....

Faraday Future Delivers First Robots in Middle East, Plans September Launches

Faraday Future Intelligent Electric Inc. (NASDAQ: FFAI) has completed its first robotics sale and delivery in the Middle East, marking an early milestone in the electric vehicle and AI technology companys regional...