Japan's attitudes towards itself have gone through many changes in modern times as well, partly in sync with, and partly in reaction to, the way outsiders feel about Japan.
Japan is now arguably the number one economic nation.
While perhaps not as big as the US in some economic dimensions, Japan seems to be a somewhat healthier, more well-rounded, economy. The gap between the most wealthy and the poorest Japanese is among the narrowest in the world. Japan is also now the world's largest donor of foreign aid, far surpassing that of the US in this, and in almost every measure of financial success. The crime rate in Japan is among the lowest, and the recidivism rate is the lowest. I am sure you are generally familiar with the figures and proportions.