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Wed, Dec 07, 2022 02:11 PM All times are UTC Edition :

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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

Hertz paying $168M to settle theft, false arrest lawsuits

Hertz is resolving its false arrest and theft lawsuits by paying $168 million. The settlement will cover all 364 claims related to the false reporting of rental cars being stolen and wrongful arrests resulting from the...

올해 대미 '김치' 수출액 2700만 달러...사상 최대치 기록

원본 기사 : Kimchi US exports hit a record high this year as the popularity of K-food spikes 한국 전통 발표식품인 김치에 대한 세계적인 관심이 높아지면서 미국 등 해외 시장에 대한 수출도 급증하고 있다. 지난 5일...

Jollibee to sell stake in Vietnam’s Highlands Coffee for $800 million

Jollibee Foods Corp is negotiating to sell 10 percent to 15 percent of its stake in its Vietnamese coffee chain, Highlands Coffee, for around $800 million. If successful, the stake sale could eventually pave the way for...

Diageo India partners with Source Global to conserve groundwater, reduce carbon emissions

Diageo India will leverage Source Hydropanel technology, which uses the sun to draw pure water vapor out of the air, to produce water for its single malt whisky brand Godawan. Renewable water technology company Source...

Nike permanently ditches Kyrie Irving as it cut ties over antisemitic comments

Nike Inc. announced on Monday, Dec. 5, it has finally made the decision to sever its ties with the 30-year-old National Basketball Association player Kyrie Irving of the Brooklyn Nets. This means his contract with the...

Politics

EU, Western Balkans hold summit as bloc reassures region of future membership

The leaders of the European Union and the Western Balkans countries convened in Albania for its summit. The meeting aims to assure the leaders of the Western Balkan nations of having a future in the bloc as fears remain...

UK: Labour wins vote demanding government release COVID-19 contracts

The British opposition Labour Party secured a vote to demand the government to release documents of COVID-19 contracts given to a firm with a connection to a Conservative member of the Upper House. The vote was secured...

Russia-Ukraine war: Drone strike hits Russian airfield

A drone strike hit another Russian airbase this week following reports of Ukraines capability to penetrate Russian airspace. The reports followed an attack on two previous Russian airbases. A drone strike hit what would...

US: Supreme Court considers potentially limiting judicial scrutiny over election-related cases

The Conservative majority of the United States Supreme Court is set to hear arguments in an appeal that could limit the judiciary of a state to scrutinize elections. The high court could potentially grant politicians more...

Myanmar coup: Relatives of Myanmar students sentenced to death ask for help

The Myanmar junta has continued to crack down on opponents and critics as they continue their rule over the country since overthrowing the elected government last year. Relatives of seven students who were sentenced to...

Science

S. Korean scientists detect antibiotic material in spider venom using AI

South Korean scientists have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based peptide detection model that can predict the antibiotic functionality of peptides antibiotic for hay bacillus, colon bacillus, staphylococcus...

Scientists test mRNA technology for universal flu vaccine

An experimental vaccine was found to potentially open a pathway to a universal flu shot that might help prevent future pandemics, according to a US study. In initial tests in mice and ferrets, the two-dos vaccine...

Unilever explores the use of “cow-free” ingredients for ice creams

Unilever has begun looking at utilizing precision fermentation technology to create cow-free dairy products or use them within its ice cream portfolio A spokesperson for Unilever said that the companys RD team is in...

S. Korean researchers develop wearable OLED that can cure jaundice in infants

Researchers from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) have developed a wearable green organic light-emitting diode (OLED) with a 470-nanometer (nm) wavelength that can cure jaundice in...

It was the first time scientists confirmed that nitrous oxide increases if nitrogenous fertilizers are used excessively for rice farming.

The excessive use of nitrogenous fertilizers for rice farming results in a sharp increase in the emission of nitrous oxide, the major greenhouse gas contributor, according to study by the Gyeonggi-do Agricultural Research ...

Technology

Microsoft to meet with FTC commissioners regarding Activision Blizzard acquisition, report says

Microsoft president Brad Smith will reportedly meet with Democratic commissioners of the Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday to further discuss the companys proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard. This follows...

‘Cyberpunk 2077’ multiplayer: CD Projekt Red confirms it was shelved due to the game’s tumultuous launch

CD Projekt Red said years ago that Cyberpunk 2077 would have online multiplayer gameplay, which later became a planned standalone title. However, the developer has now confirmed it had to drastically change its plans...

‘Star Wars Jedi: Survivor’ release date is leaked on Steam, hinting at an early 2023 launch

Video game fans looking forward to Star Wars Jedi: Survivor may not have to wait for EA and Respawn Entertainments announcement for a release date. Details about the games launch appeared to have been leaked by quite a...

Apple AR/VR headset release date: Analyst says mass shipments could be delayed to the second half of 2023

Apple is expected to enter the AR and VR space by next year with its first mixed-reality headset. While previous reports claimed it could be announced in early 2023, analyst Ming-Chi Kuo updated his predictions to suggest...

PS Plus downloadable games for December includes remastered ‘Mass Effect’ trilogy

December is going to be a good month for PlayStation Plus members now that Sony announced the lineup of new downloadable games at no additional cost going live next week. The list is headlined by the collection of...