We tried to visit Tokyo in June of last year, right after Fiji-NZ-Bali-Thailand-Cambodia but no go. The official reason was Covid but it was said that many Japanese were simply tired of foreigners, so we spent 12 hrs confined to Haneda. I was there in '83 and at a baseball game, about 100 people turned around, pointed and laughed at me (one said "it's because its unusual to see a tall white guy at a ballgame”). American friends in rural Japan (and also Germany) have said indeed it is quite conformist and people are suspicious of outsiders.

If Tucker Carlson etc want a monolithic racial society largely closed to outsiders, look no further than Japan and China. It may be quaint, but the problem is that the resultant xenophobia shuts off economic growth while possibly fostering undo distrust of other nations. Taking the time to acclimate may be worthwhile, but sometimes difficult or impossible. I tried to be a friend to Japan, but oh well.