While I want to agree with this sentiment, the problem I see is that Japanese government has largely functioned as a client state of the American empire you're

While I want to agree with this sentiment, the problem I see is that Japanese government has largely functioned as a client state of the American empire you're contrasting it with. There was a brief moment of true democratic impulses in the post-occupation period, but this was arguably quashed by the passing of ANPO and the rise to power of the CIA-backed LDP.¹ The peace and stability you prize seems premised on cowing to American interests that undermine it as they see fit(TTP and constitutional revisionism come to mind), or America being all in (and successful) at checking the imperial ambitions of China. 1. http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/09/world/cia-spent-millions-to-support-japanese-right-in-50-s-and-60-s.html?pagewanted=all http://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/09/world/cia-spent-millions-t...