I wouldn't be so hip about comparing societies without peeking into the subcultures and vices of each.
Top down government that places conformity above everything often doesn't produce the innovators of the future or today.
“Japan is dying faster than we are. They are a decadent group of people who were slicing our heads off a few years ago.”
The second part is certainly part of their history - but we’ll see regarding the first part, especially after a few more years of open borders here.