Found this page on the F-2 which outline the problems the program faced in development.
link
Given Japan have been expanding their military instead of drasticly downsizing it for the past 30 years, it would indeed be very repectable. Nothing's wrong with armed pasifism, as it keeps the neighbors from misbehaving toward them. Imho I prefer the Japanese in that state of mind instead of them postal. Though how the Japanese Government and the people treats the service men (JSDF and U.S.) defending them needs to be corrected ASAP. Blame McAuthur and Truman for not forcing the people to ante and admit to the crime they've commited like the Germans did.