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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

Moody’s Says Peru’s President-Elect Keiko Fujimori Could Boost Investor Confidence

Moodys believes Perus President-elect Keiko Fujimori is well-positioned to strengthen investor confidence by maintaining economic policy continuity and protecting the countrys key institutions. According to the ratings...

New Zealand Consumer Confidence Rises in June as Inflation Expectations Ease

New Zealand consumer confidence improved in June as inflation expectations declined, signaling a gradual recovery in household sentiment despite overall optimism remaining below pre-oil price spike levels, according to the...

Brazil to Phase Out Gasoline Subsidy First as Diesel Support Stays Longer

Brazils government will remove its gasoline subsidy much sooner than the diesel subsidy, opting for a gradual approach to prevent disruptions in the countrys fuel market while maintaining its fiscal-neutrality goals....

Denmark Central Bank Intervenes to Support Krone Peg Against Euro

Denmarks central bank stepped into the foreign exchange market in June for the first time in more than six years to support the Danish krone after the currency weakened to its lowest level against the euro in over 25...

Gold Price Surges Above $4,120 as Weak US Jobs Data Lowers Fed Rate Hike Expectations

Gold prices rallied sharply on Thursday, with spot gold climbing more than 2% after a weaker-than-expected U.S. jobs report reduced expectations for additional Federal Reserve interest rate hikes. The softer labor market...

Politics

Russia’s Deadly Kyiv Missile and Drone Attack Kills 27 as Zelensky Urges Faster Air Defense Support

Russia launched one of its largest air assaults on Ukraines capital, Kyiv, overnight, killing at least 27 people, injuring 91 others, and damaging around 130 buildings in the deadliest attack on the city this year....

Russian Attacks Kill Three in Eastern Ukraine as Civilian Casualties Mount

Russian attacks across eastern Ukraine killed at least three people on Thursday, including a seven-year-old child, while several others were injured in strikes targeting multiple regions, according to Ukrainian regional...

DHS Investigates Cyber Breach in Homeland Security Information-Sharing Network

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has launched an investigation into a cybersecurity breach involving an unnamed government information-sharing network, raising fresh concerns about the security of sensitive...

Trump Accounts Now Accept Stock Donations as Treasury Launches New Child Investment Program

Individuals and businesses will soon be able to donate publicly traded stocks to Trump Accounts, the government-backed investment accounts created under President Donald Trumps landmark tax and immigration law, according...

South Korea Warns Won Is Undervalued, Boosts FX Coordination With Japan

South Korea signaled heightened vigilance over its currency market on Thursday, with Vice Finance Minister Huh Chang saying the government is maintaining close communication with Japan and other major partners on foreign...

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

Kioxia Bets on AI Memory Boom With Next-Gen NAND Production in Japan

Kioxia is set to mark a major milestone on Friday with a ceremony at its manufacturing facility in northern Japan as the company prepares to begin mass production of its next-generation NAND flash memory chips. The move...

OpenAI Proposes 5% U.S. Government Stake Amid AI Policy Talks

OpenAI has reportedly proposed granting the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake in the artificial intelligence company as it seeks to strengthen ties with Washington and address growing political scrutiny over the rapidly...

Apple Expands iPhone Lineup, Boosts Foldable iPhone Production Plans Through 2027

Apple is reportedly preparing one of its most ambitious iPhone product cycles in years, with plans to significantly expand its smartphone lineup through 2027 while increasing production targets for its highly anticipated...

Samsung to Invest $90 Billion in South Korea to Expand AI Chip, Display, and Battery Production

Samsung Group has unveiled a major investment plan worth 140 trillion won (approximately $90 billion) to strengthen South Koreas technology manufacturing sector, with a strong focus on artificial intelligence (AI),...

Super Micro Employees Detained in Taiwan AI Server Export Investigation

Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) said two employees at its Taiwan subsidiary have been detained pending a court hearing, while two others were released on bail after being questioned in an investigation into the alleged...