Rai Tanaka
Analyst, East Asia Desk
Rai Tanaka is Analyst with the East Asia Desk at World Order Lab, where he contributes to research and analysis on political, security, as well as economic developments in the East Asian region.
Rai is currently a Secretariat Member of the Kansai Asia Club (関西アジア倶楽部), where he meets politicians, diplomats, academics, and other experts and participate in discussions on international and regional affairs. He juggles two part-time jobs as an English instructor and a tour guide while preparing to pursue a Master’s Degree in Germany in 2027. He also has experience working at the Information Center for Expo 2025 Osaka.
Rai holds Bachelor's Degree in International Studies from the School of International Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University (関西学院大学). During the first year, he wrote a research paper on Brexit, examining whether concerns surrounding immigration and EU freedom of movement influenced voting behavior, particularly among low- and middle-income households. In spring 2024, he spent one semester studying abroad at the Faculty of International and Political Studies, University of Łódź in Poland. Turning to Japanese domestic politics, his undergraduate thesis focused on how news encountered through social media may influence young voters in Japan.
Rai's research interests have expanded over the years. He is particularly interested in understanding why wars happen at a fundamental level, especially through concepts such as the Thucydides Trap and the question of how a U.S.-China war could be avoided. This interest broadly shapes how he spends his current gap year, particularly through independent study and reading on politics and history, including Destined for War and World on the Brink. He is also fond of watching political and intellectual content such as RealLifeLore, Hoover Institution, Johnny Harris, and Lex Fridman, to name a few.
Language: Japanese (Native), English (C1), German (A2).
Education:
Bachelor's Degree, International Studies
School of International Studies, Kwansei Gakuin University (2022 - 2026)Non-Degree, Asian Studies Exchange Program
Faculty of International and Political Studies, University of Łódź (February - July 2024)
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Research Interests
Rai Tanaka
Analyst,
East Asia Desk
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Regional Focus
ASEAN-Japan Relations
Cold War History
Indo-Pacific Security
Japan-China Relations
Japanese Domestic Issues
Middle East Security
Power Transition Theory & the Thucydides Trap
U.S.-China Rivalry & the New Cold War
U.S.-Japan Alliance
U.S. Domestic Issues
Japan
China
United States
Southeast Asia
East Asia
Indo-Pacific
Asia-Pacific
Selected Articles & Publications
Event Participations
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World Order Lab is a youth-driven, nonpartisan, and non-profit think-tank dedicated to advancing rigorous analysis and producing high-impact insights on the world’s most pressing security and governance challenges, with a particular focus on Southeast Asia.