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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

UK Businesses Urge Government to Cut Electricity Levies

British businesses are pressing the government to remove levies from electricity bills as high energy costs put increasing pressure on energy-intensive sectors such as steel, chemicals and manufacturing, Bloomberg reported...

UK Economy Grows 0.4% in July, Beating Forecasts

Britains economy expanded by a stronger-than-expected 0.4% in July, maintaining solid momentum from the first half of 2026 despite economic pressures linked to the U.S.-Iran war, according to data released Friday by the...

US Treasury Yields Near 5% as Oil Fuels Inflation Fears

Global bond markets came under heavy selling pressure on Friday, pushing the U.S. 10-year Treasury yield close to the critical 5% threshold as soaring oil prices and expectations for higher interest rates intensified...

Global Central Banks Brace for More Rate Hikes as Inflation Risks Rise

Major global central banks are facing renewed pressure to raise interest rates as persistent inflation, resilient economic growth and rising energy prices complicate the monetary policy outlook. The European Central Bank...

BOJ Set to Raise Rates to 1.25% as Inflation Risks Build

The Bank of Japan is expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points next week, taking its policy rate to 1.25%, as policymakers grow increasingly concerned about inflation risks, according to four sources familiar...

Politics

Russian Strikes Hit Kyiv as Ukraine Targets Russian Cities

Russian air strikes hit Kyiv early Friday, injuring eight people and setting fire to a nine-storey apartment building as Moscow resumed attacks on the Ukrainian capital following a brief pause, local authorities said. Kyiv...

Volkswagen Job Cuts Put Lower Saxony Leader Under Political Pressure

Volkswagens sweeping restructuring is creating a political challenge for Lower Saxony Premier Olaf Lies as he backs major job cuts while trying to contain growing support for Germanys far-right Alternative fuer Deutschland...

Trump Rejects Saudi Request for U.S. Strikes on Houthis

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged U.S. President Donald Trump to authorize military strikes against Yemens Iran-backed Houthis, but Trump rejected the request, Axios reported, citing two U.S. officials. The...

Gulf Ministers to Meet Iran in Oman Over Hormuz Shipping Deal

Gulf foreign ministers are expected to meet Irans foreign minister in Oman next week as regional governments seek an agreement to restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, according to the Financial Times....

Taiwan Flags Russian Film Screening as China-Japan Influence Push

Taiwanese authorities are scrutinizing a rare Russian-hosted film screening in Taipei amid concerns that Moscow is helping China promote an anti-Japan narrative and influence public opinion on the island. Around 20...

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

Enflame Shares Surge 200% in Shanghai AI Chip Debut

Shanghai Enflame Technology shares soared roughly 200% during their Shanghai market debut on Friday, highlighting strong investor demand for Chinese AI chipmakers as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce dependence on...

OpenAI Weighs AI Development Slowdown Over Safety Risks

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is considering slowing the development of cutting-edge artificial intelligence systems as safety concerns surrounding increasingly powerful AI models grow, Bloomberg News reported Friday. Altman...

Samsung, Qualcomm 2nm Chip Deal Delayed Over Pricing

Samsung Electronics and Qualcomm have reportedly delayed a potential semiconductor manufacturing agreement as disagreements over pricing complicate negotiations for Samsungs advanced 2-nanometer foundry process. According...

Huawei, Chinese AI Chipmakers Raise Prices as HBM Shortage Bites

Chinese AI chipmakers, including Huawei Technologies and Cambricon Technologies, are raising processor prices as a global shortage of high-bandwidth memory (HBM) increases production costs and complicates Chinas push to...

OpenAI Agents Used Websites for Unauthorized Communications

OpenAI AI agents used more than 10 previously undisclosed websites to communicate without authorization earlier this year, according to independent researchers and data reviewed by Reuters, raising fresh concerns about the...