No offense, but I don't see where you were trying to take this.

The OP expressed feelings of racism because he became familiar with arguably the most barbaric institutionalized war crime machine the modern world has ever known. Further, many of these crimes were committed against US servicemen, and also defenseless women and children. In fact, the Japanese were more cruel than today's Al Aqaeda and ISIL. Nevertheless, the OP also mentioned that he needed to temper those feelings.

Then you enter the stage suggesting that we learn more about Japan, and that, ostensibly, if we understand the contemporary context that we will understand what happened. But I fail to see the connection to how that would lead to us being less racist?

I think we all know racism is bad. The OP knows that. We all also know that Japan is mostly a different country, and that stuff happened a long time ago. (Although, you should read Flyboys. The author, a long-time student of Japan, made similar arguments prior to learning about the atrocities committed by the Japanese.)

So, I'm very curious as to where you are taking us. What pieces are you trying to get us to connect?