The difference is that Japan embraced western ideas, democracy and had a desire to produce the best products in the world.
China is not Japan. Japan didn’t do it to use everything they earned from us, to become stronger and engage us in an ultimate showdown.
That's a joke, right?
It's exactly what they did. They just lost the showdown.
We also have no idea whether that is what the Chinese will do. There are certainly Chinese leaders who have such plans, and Chinese xenophobia tends in that direction, but we do not know for sure whether it will happen.
China is a LONG way from being able to fight an offensive war against the US, although not far from being able to give us real problems in a regional war. Without using nukes we could not presently invade and conquer China, not without an effort and casualties the American people would never accept.