I live in Japan, and I can tell you that I'm worried about Japan. There are constant murmurings among politicians to repeal article 9 of the constitution, the one shackling it from war; you talk about racism but the xenophobia here is visceral and constant; and there's still bad feeling that is also noticeable regarding WWII and towards other Asians and their countries.

I've met some lovely, kind, and outward looking people in my time here, but I'd have to be as blind as a bat to miss the dark undertones running through society. If the Americans didn't have their bases here I think we'd be back to a pre end of WW2 Japan quite quickly.