I am surprised there is not more written (at least in the US) about the reasons Japan has fallen so low. We studied their successes in the 80s and it is critical that we study their failures as well.
I'm not so sure we need to study their successes: the reason they were successful is because we taught them how to manufacture goods. It was done with American ideas that were shaped to fit well in the Japanese society (remember W. Edwards Demming?).
The other thing we did was give them technology for free. My father worked for a large pipe company for most of his career. In the 70's and 80's the company would allow visiting Japanese businessmen to come in and tour the plant, to take all the pictures they wanted, to ask questions. They were training their COMPETITION. Not too smart, eh? But they didn't think there was any danger. Now the Japanese steel industry dumps steel on the market and ruins the American companies.