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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

German Auto Suppliers Turn Bearish as Investment and Jobs Shift Overseas

Germanys automotive suppliers are becoming increasingly pessimistic about the industrys outlook, with more companies expecting business conditions to worsen over the next 12 months than those anticipating improvement. A...

Asian Currencies Steady as Dollar Holds Firm Ahead of Fed Decision and US-Iran Deal Details

Most Asian currencies traded in a narrow range on Wednesday, while the U.S. dollar remained stable as investors awaited further details on a potential U.S.-Iran peace agreement and the outcome of the Federal Reserves...

Oil Prices Ease as Markets Weigh U.S.-Iran Peace Deal and Strait of Hormuz Reopening

Global oil prices edged lower on Wednesday, extending losses from the previous two sessions as investors continued to evaluate the impact of a newly announced U.S.-Iran peace agreement. However, uncertainty surrounding the...

Asian Stocks Advance as Nikkei Nears Record High Ahead of Fed Decision

Asian stock markets mostly moved higher on Wednesday, led by gains in Japan and Singapore, as investors awaited the U.S. Federal Reserves latest policy decision. Strong performance in technology and semiconductor stocks...

ASX Proposes New Share Dilution Limits for Public Takeovers

The Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) has unveiled significant proposed reforms aimed at strengthening shareholder protections and limiting share dilution during public takeovers and mergers. Under the draft rules...

Politics

Jamaica in Talks With U.S. to Accept Third-Country Deportees Under New Migration Agreement

Jamaica is negotiating a new migration agreement with the United States that would allow the Caribbean nation to temporarily receive third-country migrants deported by U.S. authorities, according to Deputy Prime Minister...

Trump Criticizes Israel's Lebanon Strikes, Urges Greater Civilian Protection

U.S. President Donald Trump publicly criticized Israels military operations in Lebanon, questioning the necessity of destroying entire apartment buildings while targeting Hezbollah militants. Speaking during the G7 summit...

Russian Strikes Kill Four in Eastern and Southeastern Ukraine, Trigger Fires and Damage

Russian attacks on cities in eastern and southeastern Ukraine killed at least four people and injured several others late Tuesday, according to local officials and prosecutors. The latest wave of strikes highlights the...

Brazil Supreme Court Convicts Eduardo Bolsonaro Over U.S. Lobbying Efforts

Brazils Supreme Court has convicted Eduardo Bolsonaro, the son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, for seeking foreign interference in legal proceedings involving his father. In a unanimous decision on Tuesday, a...

US-Iran Ceasefire Deal Extends Peace Talks and Eases Oil Trade Restrictions

The United States and Iran have reached an interim agreement aimed at extending peace efforts in the Middle East and reducing tensions following months of conflict. U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that the deal...

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

Chinese Social Media Giant Xiaohongshu Eyes Hong Kong IPO at Over $70 Billion Valuation

Chinese social media platform Xiaohongshu, internationally known as RedNote, is reportedly preparing for a Hong Kong initial public offering (IPO) that could value the company at more than $70 billion. According to a Wall...

Samsung Gains Interest from BYD, Google, AMD as AI Chip Demand Strains TSMC Capacity

Samsung Electronics is attracting growing attention from major global technology companies as demand for advanced semiconductor manufacturing continues to exceed available capacity at Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co....

Kingboard Holdings Shares Surge After HK$11.77 Billion Block Trade to Expand PCB and AI Supply Chain Business

Kingboard Holdings Ltd. (HK:0148), one of Chinas leading circuit board and laminate manufacturers, announced on Wednesday that its subsidiary, Kingboard Laminates Holdings Ltd. (HK:1888), has entered into a block trade...

SoftBank Shares Drop as OpenAI Losses and Rising Costs Spark Investor Concerns

SoftBank Group Corp. (TYO: 9984) shares fell sharply on Wednesday after new reports highlighted growing concerns about OpenAIs financial performance and increasing cash burn, raising questions about the value of SoftBanks...

G7 Explores AI Access Deal With U.S. Amid Anthropic Restrictions

Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) nations are discussing a proposal that could give selected trusted partners access to advanced artificial intelligence models developed by U.S. companies such as Anthropic, according to...