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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

AI-Focused Asia Hedge Funds Deliver Triple-Digit Returns in 2026 Rally

Several Asia-based hedge funds generated exceptional returns exceeding 100% during the first five months of 2026, capitalizing on the booming artificial intelligence (AI) sector and record-breaking gains across regional...

Taiwan Central Bank Likely to Keep Interest Rates Unchanged Through 2027

Taiwans central bank is widely expected to leave its benchmark interest rate unchanged at its upcoming policy meeting this week, with most economists forecasting that rates will remain steady through 2027. According to a...

RBA Expected to Hold Interest Rates at 4.35% as Markets Watch AUD/USD and ASX 200

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) is widely expected to keep its benchmark cash rate unchanged at 4.35% during its June policy meeting on Tuesday. After implementing three interest rate increases since early 2026,...

BOJ Rate Hike Expected to Boost Yen, Impact USD/JPY and Nikkei

The Bank of Japan (BOJ) is widely expected to raise interest rates by 25 basis points to 1.0% at the conclusion of its June 16 policy meeting, marking its fourth rate hike since ending its ultra-loose monetary policy in...

Gold Prices Surge Above $4,300 as US-Iran Peace Deal Weakens Dollar and Oil

Gold prices rallied sharply in Asian trading on Monday, climbing more than 2% after reports of an interim peace agreement between the United States and Iran reduced geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. The development...

Politics

G7 Summit Opens in France as Leaders Weigh Iran Peace Deal, Ukraine War, and Global Economy

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations gathered in Evian-les-Bains, France, on June 15 for a three-day summit dominated by discussions on a newly announced U.S.-Iran peace agreement, the war in Ukraine, and growing...

E4 Nations Signal Readiness to Lift Iran Sanctions Following U.S.-Iran Peace Deal

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy have expressed their willingness to lift sanctions on Iran if the country takes concrete steps to address concerns surrounding its nuclear program. The announcement came after...

Mitch McConnell Hospitalized After Medical Incident in Washington

U.S. Senator Mitch McConnell was admitted to a hospital on Sunday morning following a medical incident, according to a statement released by his spokesperson. The Kentucky Republican, who has served in the Senate for...

Trump Opposes FISA Renewal Without SAVE Act Voting Requirement

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that he would oppose any renewal of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) unless lawmakers include provisions from the SAVE Act, a measure aimed at strengthening voter...

Trump Announces Iran Deal, Strait of Hormuz Reopening Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions

U.S. President Donald Trump announced on Sunday that a proposed agreement between the United States and Iran is effectively complete, highlighting plans to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and remove the U.S. naval blockade on...

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

Elon Musk Becomes World's First Trillionaire After SpaceX IPO Surge

Elon Musk has become the worlds first trillionaire, further cementing his status as one of the most influential entrepreneurs of the modern era. The milestone follows the highly successful initial public offering (IPO) of...

ByteDance Eyes Iluvatar, Baidu AI Chips Amid China’s AI Push

ByteDance, the parent company of TikTok, is reportedly in discussions to purchase artificial intelligence (AI) chips from Shanghai-based Iluvatar CoreX and is also evaluating AI semiconductor products from Baidus chip...

UK Banks Report Surge in APP Fraud Losses as Pressure Mounts on Meta and Tech Platforms

Britains banking sector recorded a sharp rise in losses linked to authorized push payment (APP) fraud in 2025, highlighting growing concerns over online scams and increasing calls for stronger accountability from...

SpaceX Stock Gets $175 Target as Analysts See Massive Growth Ahead

SpaceX stock (NASDAQ: SPCX) has received an optimistic initiation from Wolfe Research, which assigned a $175 price target shortly after the company completed what is being described as the largest IPO in history. The...

Anthropic Officials Meet White House Over AI Model Outage

Senior executives and technical leaders from Anthropic are reportedly in Washington, D.C., holding discussions with White House officials in an effort to resolve a dispute that has affected access to the companys most...