What's Happened to the Japanese in the Pacific?

Even japanese recruits showing up in veteran units would talk about how mean the veterans looked when they showed up. The australian troops, a or part of their regular military, are fantastic. They hate the enemy, and they hate them often even to this day. Can you imagine having the japanese that close to something like california, and having the army that would normally defend california on the other side of the world? Feel a little undefended, don't you?