A New Japan Possibly?

The images horrific. The face of the clearly saddened Emperor on national TV. Helicopters pouring sea water onto menacing and smoky nuclear reactors The death toll mounting and the financial cost running into hundreds of billions of dollars.
Then we watch or read or hear of amazing stories of Japanese dignity and discipline. We see them reaching out a helping hand while shedding tears for their own kin’s who lie dead next to them. We see the youth of Japan rising to the challenge behind the scenes. We see how Americans scrambled their civilian and military assets in answer to the SOS from their post World War 2 ally.
Once the dust settles and the mud cleared and the dead buried, we will see a new Japan. Japan is like a Phoenix with 9 lives. You just can't keep her down. The 1923 and 1995 earthquakes ( I hate to name earthquakes/disasters by the name of the cities where it hits...Its not the way I would like KL to be remembered!), the great firebombing and nuclear bombing of World War 2 and many others similar disasters have not been able to keep the Japanese down. I doubt this tsunami will.
But, I suspect that the Japan that rises again this time will be different. Entirely different from what a whole generation of us have come to view it. We will see the 'silent' and 'indifferent' youth of Japan rising to a new world order. They will use their new-found respect and confidence to make Japan great once again. Perhaps the Japanese political and economic order will face a test of youth angst. Perhaps Japan will find new allies and soul-mates.
Perhaps, Japan will finally conclude that they have paid enough for the sins of their fathers (to the dismay of those hypocritical hawks and doves out there who are constantly reminding the Japanese of their military past).
The question that remains is: Which path will the new Japan take? I kind of think that the new Japan will be one that is nice to have in the region.
To all my Japanese colleagues and clients : Be brave….this too shall pass.