I think that to some japanese right wingers, the struggle actually started at the time of the
Meiji restoration and to this day continues. The pacific war was part of this process but it didn't end it. At the heart of it lies the conviction that Japan should never become a truly globalized nation bowing to others. It is similar to european nationalism but with the difference that Japan historically views itself as being forced into the world order dictated by the british, french and americans. For a japanese nationalist, the current economic system would for example be a means for survival, every action is seen as a strategic move with Japan's independence in mind, while for an american or european the economic system and the liberal democracy is an end in itself.
I see nothing wrong in putting ones own people, culture and nation before the interests of the "international community".
In fact, Germany is doing much the same thing. Although they have publically apologized for the war many times and are outwards playing with the "international community" they are preparing for financial meltdown by building their gold reserves, being self sufficient in agriculture, some see the current shift in the power balance of Europe, with Britain sinking in the ocean, France crumbling etc as their big "revenge". They don't need to revive their dark past to achieve it, they just need to not forget they are germans first hand and international citizens secondly.
Look at Britain. It is what Japan does NOT want to become. Around ten percent of Britain's physical land is owned by foreigners such as oligarks, sheiks etc. They are not self sufficient in terms of food. They are not ethnically homogenous and with nothing but the financing market binding the different cultures together as a nation. The nation is basically just a dismembered corpse on the mortem table of the international market, covered up behind a backdrop of nice words and a constitution.
A possible scenario for a nation like Britain in 50 years time would be most of the population being unemployed, daily racial riots, starvation etc with most of the wealthy british population already migrating to Australia, Canada etc...
Also, the Opium war(s), which Britain doesn't even acknowledge by its real name, was probably the single most dirty act of imperialist aggression ever made and to this day Britain has not apologized to China and has not returned the ancient relics stolen when they raped the population and plundered the imperial palace. How can a nation such as Britain demand that Japan makes apologies when japanese imperialism was a direct counteraction to british and american imperialism?
It's time for the western world order to end. I'd rather see a more ethnopluralist world and a strong independent Japan will certainly be a good friend for many nations with a similar attitude.