AHC: American Japan

The challenge is to incorporate Japan into a somewhat recognizable USA (so no POD pre-1776). Bonus points for statehood.
 
It's not particularly realistic, at least I don't think, but I recall reading somewhere that the idea of annexing Japan and turning it into the 51st state was briefly considered post-WW2. You'd need lots, and I mean lots, of butterflies to make it work though. With that having been said, I don't see a "better" (read: more peaceful) way to do it. Maybe if Japan doesn't modernize as well or as quickly as they did IOTL, they could wind up as an American colony of sorts when Asia is being carved up by the Europeans.
 
I believe Perry recommended Taiwan for a colony. Japan doesn’t really have much to offer that the US doesn’t have, does it? Except Japanese people, which the US at the time didn’t want.
 
I believe Perry recommended Taiwan for a colony. Japan doesn’t really have much to offer that the US doesn’t have, does it? Except Japanese people, which the US at the time didn’t want.
I could defiantly see a less racist and more imperialistic US conquering Japan or at least a part of it.
 
I believe Perry recommended Taiwan for a colony. Japan doesn’t really have much to offer that the US doesn’t have, does it? Except Japanese people, which the US at the time didn’t want.
Yeah, I guess that in a way that's true. Could you make Japanese people "attractive", I guess, to America in any fashion?
 
It's not particularly realistic, at least I don't think, but I recall reading somewhere that the idea of annexing Japan and turning it into the 51st state was briefly considered post-WW2. You'd need lots, and I mean lots, of butterflies to make it work though. With that having been said, I don't see a "better" (read: more peaceful) way to do it. Maybe if Japan doesn't modernize as well or as quickly as they did IOTL, they could wind up as an American colony of sorts when Asia is being carved up by the Europeans.
I don't see a post-1900 POD that could in any way lead to an American Japan that isn't a constant hellscape of geurillia warfare and insurrection.
 
Yeah, I guess that in a way that's true. Could you make Japanese people "attractive", I guess, to America in any fashion?

Probably not. We did end up banning them from immigrating, along with most other Asians. The US had enough concerns about European Catholics, let alone Japanese non-Christians.

I could make a joke about finding Japanese women attractive, but thats a little too Low brow. Even if its true.
 
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