I think this failing is as much a policy failure as it is a failing of their society as a whole. Let’s not forget that society as a whole (or half- in the US) is what largely drives policy and that people, even half the population, are capable of driving policies that aren’t in the interest of the country- and often not even their own. Lobbyist, by contrast, don’t fail so easily with the latter. To a lesser degree there are similar social views that will prove problematic in the long run if not adequately addressed in South Korea and China although neither country is anywhere as deep in it as Japan is today.

I, personally, see Vietnam and Indonesia, as having better long term prospects, and China, as potentially uniquely able to address this problem, as well as uniquely likely to exacerbate it- if they choose to redirect their populations grievances.

Still, it must be said, that I’m 33 years old, and while Japan was the it country in Asia, South Korea took their place by storm by recognising their nascent but growing popularity and then making an effort to having a much more outward facing look about it