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I found it interesting how the japanese navy and air force fell apart because of one single battle- the battle of midway. One american codebreaker? not sure what they are called- figured out that the japanese were to attack the midway islands just two days prior to thier attack. As a result, the many aircraft carriers stationed there that would have been utterly demolished escaped and american bomber pilots destroyed 5 super-class japanese aircraft carriers along with the designer of the infamous Zero fighter plane and all the schematics for said plane. If japan had been successful with thier ambush, they would have taken control of the entire pacific and landed on the largely undefended shore of california and washington.
The world might have been a mighty different place today.
In terms of arms, if japan was allowed to build up it's army it would in all likelyhood become a rival superpower to the states- it would gain position in the United Nations (in the G8) and if the united states reacted in a hostile manner, we would find ourselves in a cold war. An interesting thing to point out is that since japan was not allowed to rebuild it's military, it underwent a massive industrialization. Japan is an economic superpower instead of a military superpower. They have a very dense population and I think if it gained military superiority it may well attempt to take some adjoining islands that have resources, like the philipines. The only thing halting japan's economic domination is that they have to import all materials for production. With a internal resource industry they could accomplish much.
At least that's my take on it.
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