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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

Asian Markets Quiet as Japan Gains on BOJ Decision; Australia Eyes Rate Cut

Most Asian stock markets were closed Thursday due to the Labor Day holiday, with trading volumes remaining low. However, Japanese shares advanced after the Bank of Japan (BOJ) left interest rates unchanged at 0.5%, as...

Australia’s Gold Rush to U.S. Turns Trade Deficit into Surplus

Australia recorded its strongest three-month export performance to the United States, driven largely by a surge in gold shipments amid President Donald Trumps tariff policies. According to the Australian Bureau of...

Dollar Stabilizes Amid Trade War Easing Hopes and Yen Waits on BOJ Decision

The U.S. dollar held steady on Thursday, shrugging off weak domestic data as markets turned hopeful over signs of easing global trade tensions. Despite suffering its steepest monthly decline in over two years through...

US Stock Futures Surge as Microsoft and Meta Earnings Beat Forecasts

U.S. stock futures rose sharply Wednesday night, driven by strong earnings reports from tech giants Microsoft and Meta Platforms. This positive momentum came after a choppy regular session where Wall Street posted modest...

Gold Slips on Eased Tariff Fears, Eyes Key U.S. Economic Data

Gold prices extended their decline during Asian trading on Wednesday as easing U.S. auto tariffs and positive trade signals reduced safe-haven demand. President Donald Trump signed two orders offering tax credits and...

Politics

Kamala Harris Slams Trump’s Economic Policies in Major Political Comeback

Former U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris issued a strong rebuke of President Donald Trump on Wednesday, calling his economic agenda the greatest man-made economic crisis in modern presidential history. Speaking in the San...

Medvedev Slams U.S.-Ukraine Minerals Deal as Trump Leverages Military Aid

Senior Russian official Dmitry Medvedev criticized a new U.S.-Ukraine minerals agreement, claiming it forces Kyiv to pay for future U.S. military aid with natural resources. The deal, signed in Washington, grants the U.S....

Senate Deadlocked on Tariff Rollback as U.S. Economy Shrinks

The U.S. Senate voted 49-49 on Wednesday, failing to pass a resolution aimed at reversing President Donald Trumps sweeping tariffs. The tie vote came just hours after federal data revealed that the U.S. economy contracted...

U.S. Warns Iran Over Houthi Support Amid Ongoing Nuclear Talks

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a stern warning to Iran on Wednesday over its support for Yemens Houthi rebels, even as indirect nuclear negotiations between the two nations continue. Speaking via X (formerly...

Singapore PM Urges Support for Trusted Team Ahead of May 3 Election

Singapore Prime Minister Lawrence Wong has urged voters to re-elect his cabinet in the May 3 general election, emphasizing the need for experienced leaders with strong ties to both the U.S. and China. Addressing 1.4...

Science

Kennedy Sets September Deadline to Uncover Autism Causes Amid Controversy

U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced a bold plan to identify the cause of autism by September 2025. Speaking at a cabinet meeting with President Donald Trump, Kennedy declared a global...

AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi Gets US Approval for Bladder Cancer Treatment

AstraZenecas drug Imfinzi (NASDAQ: AZN) has received U.S. approval to treat adult patients with muscle-invasive bladder cancer, a significant advancement in cancer therapy. The approval allows Imfinzi to be used in...

Sanofi’s New Hemophilia Drug Qfitlia Gains FDA Approval with Breakthrough Bimonthly Dosing

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Qfitlia, a groundbreaking hemophilia treatment by French pharmaceutical giant Sanofi (NASDAQ: SNY). Designed for patients aged 12 and older with hemophilia A or B,...

FDA Vaccine Chief Peter Marks Resigns Amid Controversy Over Transparency

Peter Marks, the U.S. Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) top vaccine official, has resigned after reportedly being forced out by the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to The Wall Street Journal....

Museums have tons of data, and AI could make it more accessible − but standardizing and organizing it across fields won’t be easy

Ice cores in freezers, dinosaurs on display, fish in jars, birds in boxes, human remains and ancient artifacts from long gone civilizations that few people ever see museum collections are filled with all this and more....

Technology

Xiaomi Unveils MiMo AI Model, Shares Surge 5% on Breakthrough Launch

Xiaomi Corp (HK:1810) launched its first open-source large language model, MiMo, on Wednesday, marking its official entry into the competitive artificial intelligence space. The debut sent Xiaomis Hong Kong-listed shares...

OpenAI Rolls Back GPT-4o Update After User Backlash Over "Sycophantic" Behavior

OpenAI has rolled back a recent update to its GPT-4o model used in ChatGPT, following widespread criticism from users who found the AI assistant excessively flattering and overly agreeable. The company announced Tuesday...

TSMC Expands U.S. Chip Production With Third Arizona Fab and $100B Investment Boost

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (NYSE:TSM), the worlds largest contract chipmaker, has officially broken ground on its third semiconductor fabrication plant in Phoenix, Arizona. This marks a major milestone in the...

Meta Launches Standalone AI App to Compete with OpenAI and Google

Meta Platforms (NASDAQ:META) has released a standalone app for its Meta AI assistant, marking a significant step to boost its presence in the rapidly evolving AI market. Previously accessible only through Metas main...

Alibaba Launches Qwen 3 AI Model Amid Intensifying China Tech Competition

Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group (NYSE:BABA) unveiled Qwen 3 on Tuesday, a next-generation AI model featuring hybrid reasoning capabilities aimed at boosting performance and adaptability. The move underscores Alibabas...