Japan

[AntiochusIII]

much like the Burmese [Thais]

Those two are different.

The Burmese went through a series of wars with Great Britain and was summarily crushed and colonized. Arguably Burmese military might compared to their local rivals made them a little overconfident. The Thais, their biggest local rivals (the rivalry continues today actually, but most of the world now prefers diplomatic contact with Thailand due to the key reason that the current Burmese government is a bunch of militarist dictatorial anti-Democracy lowlifes...) survive through the colonial era uncolonized but losing various border provinces and vassals appeasing the colonial powers France and Great Britain.

Also, Japan's trading value does not lie in its rich natural resources (like Africa) but in its "luxury products" like Chinaware and stuff. Those things were popular back in the day.