Japan's decline was not some accident of history or because of some unique flaw in the Japanese system, it's decline was inevitable due to the natural decline in economic growth as income per capita increases (incidentally the exact same reason why Britain's growth could not match that of lesser developed countries in the late 19th-early 20th century). Having the expectation of Japanophobes of 1980s beign fullfilled which is based on the idea of x% of annual GDP growth forever into the future is just as ASBish as anything else.
Disagree with you there.
Its growth slowing and it not taking over the world as the scaremongers in the 80s said- yes, that was pretty inevitable for the reasons you say.
The bubble forming and popping and the country declining- that was not inevitable.
This is bad logic.
1. The Japanese economy was always over-rated
2. Japan is much bigger than the UK
3. Japan did not succeed
4. Japan was an economic power only; its success was partly built on not carrying a major defense burden - and a superpower by definition has enormous military strength
1: Yet still good.
2: Not so much so in terms of useful land. Japan is a huge country but most of it is mountains. (doing some quick checking and maths- its 'usable size' is 79,380km^2. Not too much bigger than Ireland. ) Not that size matters too much. Its only really a limiter when you're talking about the truly small Hong Kongs and Singapores of this world.
3: It did. Japan remains a very rich country. It didn't take over but its collapse was down to mistakes rather than it being natural.
4: Economics are the number one important thing. A superpower need not have enourmous military strength. You;'re thinking too OTLy.