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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

Switzerland Industrial Production Jumps 5.5% in Q2 2026

Switzerlands industrial production rebounded strongly in the second quarter of 2026, rising 5.5% compared with the same period a year earlier, according to data released Wednesday by the Swiss Federal Statistical Office....

Trump Says Iran Talks Halted as Strait of Hormuz Dispute Fuels Oil Concerns

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that Washington is not holding talks with Iran and maintained that the Strait of Hormuz remains open, directly challenging Tehrans claim that the crucial energy shipping route is...

Trump Pauses 50% Canada Tariffs for Three Days as U.S. Trade Deal Takes Shape

U.S. President Donald Trump has delayed new 50% tariffs on Canadian goods for three days after announcing that the United States and Canada had reached a preliminary trade agreement. The tariffs were scheduled to take...

Asian Chip Stocks Plunge as Bond Yields Fuel AI Valuation Fears

Asian technology and semiconductor stocks suffered steep losses on Wednesday as rising global bond yields intensified concerns over expensive AI-related valuations and higher financing costs across the technology sector....

China Set to Hold Benchmark Lending Rates Steady for 15th Month

China is expected to keep its benchmark lending rates unchanged in August for the 15th consecutive month, despite fresh economic data highlighting persistent weakness in domestic demand. A Reuters survey of 25 market...

Politics

Israeli Airstrike Kills Six Palestinians in Gaza as Trump Peace Plan Stalls

An Israeli airstrike in Gaza City killed at least six Palestinians and wounded 14 others on Tuesday, according to local health officials, as efforts to advance U.S. President Donald Trumps Gaza peace plan remained stalled....

US, South Korea Cut Joint Military Drills After Trump Orders Reduced Role

South Korea and the United States have shortened their annual Ulchi Freedom Shield military exercises from 11 days to five and reduced some field training after U.S. President Donald Trump ordered a substantial cut in...

Angie Nixon Scores Florida Senate Primary Upset as Key Midterm Races Take Shape

Democratic socialist Angie Nixon delivered a major upset in Floridas Democratic U.S. Senate primary on Tuesday, defeating former national security official Alex Vindman as voters across several states selected candidates...

Israel Strikes Syrian Airbase Near Aleppo, Raising Tensions With Turkey

Israel launched eight airstrikes on Syrias Abu al-Duhur airbase near Aleppo on Tuesday, prompting condemnation from Turkey and concern from the United States over escalating regional tensions. Syrian state-run Ekhbariya...

Trump Says Iran Talks Halted as Hormuz Dispute Pushes Oil Higher

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that no negotiations with Iran were taking place and insisted the Strait of Hormuz remained open, contradicting Tehrans claim that the strategic waterway was still closed to...

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 Revenue Rises 18% in Q2 as Losses Widen and Anthropic Surges Ahead

OpenAI reported an 18% increase in second-quarter revenue, but widening losses and rapid growth at rival Anthropic are adding pressure on the ChatGPT maker, according to The Wall Street Journal. OpenAI told investors that...

Unitree Robotics Shares Soar Over 600% in Shanghai Market Debut

Unitree Robotics shares skyrocketed in their Shanghai stock market debut on Wednesday, highlighting surging investor interest in Chinas robotics and artificial intelligence sectors. The Chinese humanoid robot maker saw its...

Goldman Sachs Names 9 Top Japanese Semiconductor and Electronics Stocks

Goldman Sachs has identified nine Japanese semiconductor and electronic components stocks it believes are well positioned for growth, particularly as artificial intelligence and data center demand accelerates. The bank...

Baidu Shares Sink to One-Year Low as Ad Weakness Overshadows AI Growth

Baidu shares plunged to a near one-year low on Wednesday after the Chinese technology giant reported weaker-than-expected second-quarter results, as declining advertising revenue overshadowed strong growth across its...

OpenAI Tightens AI Safety Monitoring After Security Incidents

OpenAI is strengthening oversight of its most advanced artificial intelligence models as the company works to prevent unexpected or potentially dangerous behavior from increasingly autonomous AI systems. The ChatGPT...