AHC: "Wank" Japan Post-WWII

I'm not asking for the impossible. Japan is not going to be a superpower any time soon. But could they have fared even better in the post-war era than they did IOTL?

With a POD after Japan's unconditional surrender in September 2, 1945, your challenge is to make present day Japan have as large of an economy and as much international influence as possible.
 
Like what... more than already? By 1980 Japan had surpassed the Soviet Uninon in economy and was seen as the land of the future. Any more needs an American civil war where it collapses into itself with Japan taking charge of the Western World.
 
Like what... more than already? By 1980 Japan had surpassed the Soviet Uninon in economy and was seen as the land of the future.

Well, if there is absolutely no room for improvement in the 1945-1980 period (which, to be honest, I doubt, there must have been some things about Japan in this period that were wasteful) how about just avoiding the "Lost Decade" (the 1990s) and having Japan really become "the future"?
 
Well, if there is absolutely no room for improvement in the 1945-1980 period (which, to be honest, I doubt, there must have been some things about Japan in this period that were wasteful) how about just avoiding the "Lost Decade" (the 1990s) and having Japan really become "the future"?
I dont think it's possible to avoid the "lost decade", Japan at that time hit the ceiling, it was a 100 million + state that had surpassed the USA in gdp per capita while under the American world order where everything is centered on the USA to leverage up its position in the world. What they could do better would be starting in the 80s to slowly move towards a healthy work-life balance, this should help mitigate some of the problems of hitting the ceiling, like people suddenly forgetting how to procreate.

Also, there's some talking about the Plaza Accord having set off the lost decade, so without it it could happen a bit later maybe, that gives a few more golden years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plaza_Accord
 
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