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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

US Dollar Dips as Middle East Tensions Ease; Markets Await Key US Inflation Data

The U.S. dollar edged lower on Monday as improving risk sentiment reduced demand for traditional safe-haven assets. Investors reacted positively after Iran and Israel halted military strikes following a call for restraint...

Gold Prices Ease as Markets Await Key U.S. Inflation Data and Fed Rate Outlook

Gold prices remained under pressure on Monday despite a slightly weaker U.S. dollar, as investors stayed cautious ahead of critical U.S. inflation reports that could influence the Federal Reserves next interest rate...

Oil Prices Rise as Iran-Israel Tensions Ease Following Trump-Led Ceasefire Push

Global oil prices remained higher on Monday, although they gave back part of their earlier gains after Iran and Israel announced a halt to military operations following diplomatic efforts led by U.S. President Donald...

Wall Street Rebounds as Chip Stocks Rally and Iran-Israel Tensions Ease

U.S. stock markets closed mostly higher on Monday, recovering from a sharp sell-off in the previous session as investors welcomed a rebound in semiconductor stocks and signs of easing tensions between Iran and Israel. The...

US Stocks Rebound as Iran Eases Military Operations; Tech Shares Lead Wall Street Recovery

U.S. stocks opened sharply higher on Monday, recovering from last weeks steep market decline as investors reacted positively to reports that Iran had ended its military operations against Israel. The development helped...

Politics

Trump Nominates Todd Blanche for Attorney General, Setting Up Key Senate Confirmation Battle

U.S. President Donald Trump has officially nominated Todd Blanche to serve as the next U.S. attorney general, elevating his former personal lawyer to lead the Department of Justice. The nomination, submitted to the U.S....

Peru Election 2026: Sanchez Takes Narrow Lead Over Fujimori

Leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez moved ahead in Perus closely contested presidential election, securing 50.01% of the vote compared to Keiko Fujimoris 49.9%, according to the latest official count released after 93.92% of...

Trump Lawyers Face Scrutiny After Missing Deadline in $10 Billion BBC Defamation Lawsuit

A federal judge in Miami has ordered President Donald Trumps legal team to explain why they should not face sanctions after missing a court deadline in Trumps $10 billion defamation lawsuit against the BBC. The case...

Italian Investigation Targets Israel’s Itamar Ben-Gvir Over Gaza Flotilla Activists

Italian prosecutors have opened an investigation into Israels far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir over the treatment of activists detained during a Gaza aid flotilla operation last month. According to a...

Lebanese President Urges Israel to Negotiate End to Conflict, Calls Military Approach Ineffective

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun has issued a rare direct appeal to Israel, urging its government and citizens to engage in negotiations to bring an end to the ongoing conflict between the two countries. In an interview with...

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 Files Confidential IPO Draft as AI Giants Race Toward Public Markets

OpenAI has confidentially submitted a draft S-1 registration statement to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), taking a major step toward a potential initial public offering (IPO). The move positions the...

Apple Unveils Enhanced Apple Intelligence and Next-Generation Siri at WWDC 2026

Apple has introduced the latest version of its Apple Intelligence platform at the Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) 2026, signaling a stronger push into the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence market. The...

Qualcomm Stock Gains After Jensen Huang Endorsement

Qualcomm (NASDAQ: QCOM) shares moved higher in after-hours trading on Monday, rising approximately 2% after NVIDIA (NASDAQ: NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang publicly praised the semiconductor company and encouraged investors to...

Naver Stock Jumps on NVIDIA Partnership to Build South Korea’s AI Infrastructure

Naver Corp. (KS:035420) shares surged on Monday after the South Korean technology giant announced a major artificial intelligence partnership with NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA). The news fueled strong investor...

Nvidia Expands South Korea AI Partnerships to Strengthen Data Center and Memory Chip Supply

Nvidia has announced a series of strategic partnerships with leading South Korean technology companies as the AI chip giant seeks to strengthen its supply chain and accelerate the growth of its artificial intelligence...