Stoppage has an interesting tidbit about his thoughts on Japanese culture and their low crime rate. Like him, I’ve heard the argument from gun control types that the low Japanese crime rate is a result of their rather draconian gun laws. He points out quite rightly that there is a huge cultural difference between America and Japan.
One of the biggest examples of this would be the emphasis on individualism vs. collectivism. Although seemingly in decline, the American attitude is still swayed towards the value of the individual. Japanese society often places a higher value on the group as opposed to the individual, which you can plainly see in the deference to authority figures.
Frankly, I have no interest in the modern Japanese culture – and even less so in its imports to the US. My interest is historical, as I have enjoyed in the past studying the Japanese evolution from a feudal, semi-tribal society to a modern industrial society. It’s pretty cool.