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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

Fed’s Logan Signals 50 Basis Points More in Rate Hikes

Dallas Federal Reserve President Lorie Logan said Thursday that U.S. interest rates may need to rise by at least another 50 basis points as inflation remains above the Federal Reserves 2% target, although surging Treasury...

Asian Stocks Fall as US Jobs Data and Oil Risks Rattle Markets

Asian stocks declined on Friday as investors braced for crucial U.S. jobs data while volatility in global bond and currency markets and rising Middle East tensions kept risk appetite subdued. MSCIs broadest index of...

Yen Strengthens on Tokyo Inflation as Dollar Awaits US Jobs Data

The Japanese yen strengthened on Friday after hotter-than-expected Tokyo inflation data increased expectations for further Bank of Japan interest rate hikes, while the U.S. dollar paused ahead of the closely watched...

Gold Prices Steady as Markets Await U.S. Jobs Data

Gold prices were largely unchanged on Friday as investors awaited key U.S. employment data for fresh signals on the Federal Reserves interest-rate outlook, while a strong dollar and elevated Treasury yields kept pressure...

Tokyo Inflation Jumps to 2.7%, Boosting BOJ Rate Hike Expectations

Tokyo consumer inflation accelerated sharply in September, with core prices rising more than economists expected and strengthening expectations that the Bank of Japan (BOJ) could continue raising interest rates as...

Politics

US Waives Egypt Military Aid Conditions Over Iran War Role

The United States has waived human rights conditions tied to $320 million in military aid for Egypt, citing Cairos security cooperation and its role following the start of the US-led war against Iran. Secretary of State...

Tsai Ing-wen to Visit US for Stanford Security Conference

Former Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen will travel to the United States next week to speak at a Stanford University technology and national security conference, marking her first U.S. visit since leaving office in 2024. Tsai...

South Korea Warns Ukraine Over North Korean POW Dispute

South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned Friday that Seoul could take additional measures against Ukraine unless Kyiv acknowledges an alleged confidentiality agreement involving two North Korean prisoners of war and...

Iran Plans Stronger Response if US Attacks Resume

Iran is preparing for a broader military response if the United States resumes large-scale attacks, even as Tehran keeps diplomatic channels open in an effort to prevent another major escalation. Senior Iranian commanders...

Brazil Presidential Debate Canceled as Lula, Bolsonaro Skip Event

Brazils final major presidential debate was canceled on Thursday after President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and Senator Flavio Bolsonaro, the two leading candidates in the polls, decided not to participate just days before...

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

SoftBank Shares Fall After $10 Billion OpenAI Investment

SoftBank Group shares dropped sharply on Friday after the Japanese technology conglomerate completed the final portion of its latest OpenAI investment, lifting its total investment in the artificial intelligence company to...

Amazon Eyes $8 Billion Nvidia Chip Spinoff to Fund AI Expansion

Amazon is exploring a plan to transfer roughly $8 billion worth of advanced Nvidia artificial intelligence chips to outside investors as the technology giant looks for new ways to finance its rapidly expanding AI...

California AG Subpoenas OpenAI Over AI Cybersecurity Incidents

California Attorney General Rob Bonta served OpenAI with an investigative subpoena Wednesday, escalating a state investigation into cybersecurity incidents involving the artificial intelligence company and its models. The...

WordPress Malware Uses Ethereum to Evade Removal

Security researchers have uncovered a persistent WordPress malware strain that uses Ethereum infrastructure for command-and-control communications, making infected websites unusually difficult to clean. According to...

DogeOS Launches Testnet to Bring DeFi Apps to Dogecoin

DogeOS has launched a public testnet designed to bring Ethereum-style decentralized finance applications to Dogecoin, potentially expanding DOGEs utility beyond payments and price speculation. The Ethereum-compatible...