Well, as one who served in the (US) military for over five years in Japan -- some of that time on an installation shared by the Japanese Self-Defense forces -- I can make a couple observations:
1) The Japanese have gone a long way nationally to stamping out the Samurai spirit that they (with some reason) blame for having brought them to their knees in 1945. They have OVERdone it. There needs to be a resurrection of the warrior spirit. The military is scorned as a profession.
2) On the other hand, those who serve today in Japan's Self-Defense forces are highly dedicated, disciplined and committed to their calling. As I have posted previously elsewhere, they wonderfully epitomize TR's advice to "walk softly, but carry a big stick." People would be amazed if they knew how many fighter aircraft the Japanese now have. They would be surprised, because the Japanese have been very QUIET about their continued (and timely) military build-up.
3) I am no doubt biased, but I would greatly prefer having the Japanese as friends rather to having them as enemies.