Having the Japanese person be female and the American be male is awkward. One thing that scholars have always pointed to as a historical issue for Japan is the "feminizing" of the country- particularly when the US moved in. I don't know about the average Japanese citizen, but as someone who studied Japan extensively I think it is, well, icky.

I have faith that some day I will get to go there. But I am opposed to death, so I can wait.

Things change more quickly than people believe.