@icedquinn For sure, and I think it's a consequence of how their society was for a long time. Without such a long "medieval period" in cultural isolation, I think their society would have been profoundly more unhealthy: open to both Christianisation and colonization. But the downside is the genesis of what we see now.

Did you know that Yakuza were formed as a civilian (peasantry) response to Samurai being allowed to kill those of lower class than them at will? Samurai would engage in "crossroad killings," where they tested out new swords on unarmed peasants who happened to cross their path. Yakuza were formed as militia to resist and kill them.