Good points Silvercloud. I think the western world didn't see Japan coming because they failed to take it seriously after WW2. Having suffered a demoralising defeat by the Allies, particularly the devastation caused by atomic bombs on home soil, many thought Japan had no future as an industrial power. Let's also not forgot there was plenty of distrust/resentment towards Japan in the '50s and '60s, given how recent WW2 was in the minds of many returned servicemen. They simply didn't want anything to do with Japan. In fact, that ill-feeling was still evident in the 1970s. I remember when Peter Williamson started racing a Celica back then, with the entire roof panel displaying the 'Land of the Rising Sun' flag. The RSL made it very clear that this would cause offence for many veterans and requested that it be removed out of respect for them. The scars of war are always deep.