--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Japan's foreign policy must have teeth…" description: "\"“Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does not have the fangs, it must acquire them. If the only language that tomorrow's Asia will un..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg" --- # Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does… ![“Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does not have the fangs, it must acquire them. If the only language that tomorrow's Asia will understand comes from the barrel of a gun, Japan must relearn that language” quote by Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg) > ““Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does not have the fangs, it must acquire them. If the only language that tomorrow's Asia will understand comes from the barrel of a gun, Japan must relearn that language”” [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Japan must develop strong diplomatic tools, including military capability, to be taken seriously in Asia. **In simple terms:** Japan needs credible power to influence its region. Key Takeaway Strengthen national defense. Themes security foreign policy Asia Mood cautious determined Type strategic political When to use this quote - military planning - diplomatic negotiations - regional crises Key Concepts deterrence strategic autonomy regional dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Is military strength the only way to ensure security? - What alternatives exist? A Different Perspective Escalating arms races can increase instability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Japan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) ## Related quotes > [The sluggish economy is creating a situation where the young people in Japan cannot cherish their desires or have prospects for their future. Also,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shinzo-abe/the-sluggish-economy-is-creating-a-situation-where-the-young-people/) [Shinzo Abe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shinzo-abe/) > [“No foreign architect of stature, such as I. M. Pei, resides in Japan. Foreign architects come to Japan on short-term contracts, erect a skyscraper…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-kerr/no-foreign-architect-of-stature-such-as-i-m-pei-resides-in-japan/) [Alex Kerr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-kerr/) > [Japan used to beat China routinely in wars. You know that, right? Japan used to beat China, they routinely beat China. Why are we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/japan-used-to-beat-china-routinely-in-wars-you-know-that-right-japan/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The pact we have with Japan is interesting. Because if somebody attacks us, Japan does not have to help. If somebody attacks Japan, we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/the-pact-we-have-with-japan-is-interesting-because-if-somebody/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [I don't think anybody who is already with Donald Trump is going to be peeled off by his not knowing about NATO or why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-fallows/i-don-t-think-anybody-who-is-already-with-donald-trump-is-going-to-be/) [James Fallows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-fallows/) > [“Most of all though, Japan must not build up its military capabilities. It must, therefore, curtail large portions of its own industry, pay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/most-of-all-though-japan-must-not-build-up-its-military-capabilities/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-we-should-have-basically-the-same-tax-policy-that-germany/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Sometimes when you're in different countries, everything has become so homogenised and there's a Starbucks and McDonald's everywhere, and you could feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-yun-lee/sometimes-when-you-re-in-different-countries-everything-has-become-so/) [Will Yun Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-yun-lee/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [“The physical impact of taiko music, along with the sheer visual poetry of a choreographed ensemble presenting its music in perfect synchrony, is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-asakawa/the-physical-impact-of-taiko-music-along-with-the-sheer-visual-poetry/) Gil Asakawa > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) Royall Tyler > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) ## More by Declan Hayes > [“Most of all though, Japan must not build up its military capabilities. It must, therefore, curtail large portions of its own industry, pay the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/most-of-all-though-japan-must-not-build-up-its-military-capabilities/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“police unearthed evidence that Aum were also developing a technique for enriching uranium, using laser beam equipment. Because Japan cannot eliminate the threat that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/police-unearthed-evidence-that-aum-were-also-developing-a-technique/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“Unit 731's crimes against humanity continue. Chinese citizens are still dying from the chemical weapons that Hirohito's henchmen unleashed on them. Many of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/unit-731-s-crimes-against-humanity-continue-chinese-citizens-are/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“Because Japan is the world's second largest economy, this will not change in the foreseeable future. The sociology of Japan's economy has been set…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/because-japan-is-the-world-s-second-largest-economy-this-will-not/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“As stated above, America will eventually have to abandon its Asian bases. Its forward deployment policy will be at an end.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/as-stated-above-america-will-eventually-have-to-abandon-its-asian/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“There is as much of a chance that it will implode and drag its trading partners down into the abyss with it as there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/there-is-as-much-of-a-chance-that-it-will-implode-and-drag-its/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“Iraq cannot be bullied into acquiescence, and North Korea cannot be bribed into playing by the international rules. Given current projects, India and Pakistan…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/iraq-cannot-be-bullied-into-acquiescence-and-north-korea-cannot-be/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“Beijing has protested long and hard about America's sale of F-16s to Taiwan and has bought its way into the U.S. Democratic Party to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/beijing-has-protested-long-and-hard-about-america-s-sale-of-f-16s-to/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“China needs to control these sea routes to guarantee its own oil supplies. Although that is understandable, it comes at a cost to Japan.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/china-needs-to-control-these-sea-routes-to-guarantee-its-own-oil/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“There is no peaceful way that China's rise to power can be halted. Her demographics alone see to that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/there-is-no-peaceful-way-that-china-s-rise-to-power-can-be-halted-her/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“China has signed a $1.2 billion deal with Saddam Hussein to develop the Ahdab oilfield.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/china-has-signed-a-1-2-billion-deal-with-saddam-hussein-to-develop/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“No appeals to its outmoded constitution can change that. Japan must rearm and take its rightful place in the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/no-appeals-to-its-outmoded-constitution-can-change-that-japan-must/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“General Hideki Tojo ordered that the Sen Jin Kun, the Imperial Army's Battle Ethics, be distributed to all officers and men both at home…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/general-hideki-tojo-ordered-that-the-sen-jin-kun-the-imperial-army-s/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“China's ultimate prize is East Asian hegemony, which is probably inevitable in any event. China's eventual regional ascendancy will spell the end of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/china-s-ultimate-prize-is-east-asian-hegemony-which-is-probably/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) > [“Unless Japan is prepared to see Japanese blood being spilled, unless Japan is prepared to see Japanese soldiers return to Japan in body bags,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/unless-japan-is-prepared-to-see-japanese-blood-being-spilled-unless/) [Declan Hayes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) [Explore all 17 Declan Hayes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/) ## More Japan quotes > [I painted the words "GREAT ADVENTURE" in Beijing, Dallas, San Francisco, Copenhagen, and Japan. What it means to me is completely different to everybody…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-eine/i-painted-the-words-great-adventure-in-beijing-dallas-san-francisco/) [Ben Eine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-eine/) > [I had sort of had a 21st birthday when I was 17, 18 years old living in Japan. I had all of that stuff…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-wright/i-had-sort-of-had-a-21st-birthday-when-i-was-17-18-years-old-living/) [Sarah Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-wright/) > [“So it is that in our world hopes are thwarted at every turn and the people's lot is always pain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/royall-tyler/so-it-is-that-in-our-world-hopes-are-thwarted-at-every-turn-and-the/) Royall Tyler > [As far as Japan is concerned, I want to help all of our allies, but we are losing billions and billions of dollars. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/as-far-as-japan-is-concerned-i-want-to-help-all-of-our-allies-but-we/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“The physical impact of taiko music, along with the sheer visual poetry of a choreographed ensemble presenting its music in perfect synchrony, is so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gil-asakawa/the-physical-impact-of-taiko-music-along-with-the-sheer-visual-poetry/) Gil Asakawa > [Every morning when I pick up the newspaper and read about an earthquake in Japan or problems in European financial institutions, the first question…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-schapiro/every-morning-when-i-pick-up-the-newspaper-and-read-about-an/) [Mary Schapiro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-schapiro/) > [I've never been invited to do an exhibition or do a talk in England, except once, about 10 years ago. I've given talks all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-wildsmith/i-ve-never-been-invited-to-do-an-exhibition-or-do-a-talk-in-england/) [Brian Wildsmith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-wildsmith/) > [Sometimes when you're in different countries, everything has become so homogenised and there's a Starbucks and McDonald's everywhere, and you could feel like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/will-yun-lee/sometimes-when-you-re-in-different-countries-everything-has-become-so/) [Will Yun Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/will-yun-lee/) > [I think we should have basically the same tax policy that Germany, Japan, the U.K., everybody else has, which is a tax rate in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-r-immelt/i-think-we-should-have-basically-the-same-tax-policy-that-germany/) [Jeffrey R. Immelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-r-immelt/) > [Japan is already a leader in energy efficiency, and it has a wealth of innovative technologies. We must put this expertise to use creating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/japan-is-already-a-leader-in-energy-efficiency-and-it-has-a-wealth-of/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) > [The historic quarrels between Japan and Korea pale in importance to the bigger question of extent of U.S. commitment to the defense of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-edelman/the-historic-quarrels-between-japan-and-korea-pale-in-importance-to/) [Richard Edelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-edelman/) > [I get that I'm tan, and I would stand out a little bit in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naomi-osaka/i-get-that-i-m-tan-and-i-would-stand-out-a-little-bit-in-japan/) [Naomi Osaka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naomi-osaka/) > [We went to Japan and stayed an extra day just to go shopping. New York is one of those places where we never get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gourley/we-went-to-japan-and-stayed-an-extra-day-just-to-go-shopping-new-york/) [John Gourley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gourley/) > [Art is all about doing what you shouldn't.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nobuyoshi-araki/art-is-all-about-doing-what-you-shouldn-t/) [Nobuyoshi Araki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nobuyoshi-araki/) > [The greatest problem in Japanese politics over the last two decades is that we put off what needed to be done. We have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yoshihiko-noda/the-greatest-problem-in-japanese-politics-over-the-last-two-decades/) [Yoshihiko Noda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yoshihiko-noda/) [Browse all 1,452 Japan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/japan/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does not have the fangs, it must acquire them. If the only language that tomorrow's Asia will understand comes from the barrel of a gun, Japan must relearn that language”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Declan Hayes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-and-if-japan-does-not-have-the/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Japan" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-and-if-japan-does-not-have-the/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cff/declan-hayes-30047_quote_japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-a_870907.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Japan's foreign policy must have teeth, and, if Japan does not have the fangs, it must acquire them. If the…” — Declan Hayes", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Declan Hayes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/declan-hayes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Japan's foreign policy must have teeth,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-and-if-japan-does-not-have-the/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/declan-hayes/japan-s-foreign-policy-must-have-teeth-and-if-japan-does-not-have-the/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```