First visual example of Japanese appropriating culture

The japanese culture is rooted in the collective and mimesis. They are the best example of successful participatory exercises to understand the [cultural] other.
To promote cultural understanding en-masse - their artists studied key aspects of western culture and faithfully transcribed these into visual images for Japanese consumption. By these visual cues the Oriental was able to learn and assimilate the Occidental.
Such that in 30 years time the Japanese were able to modernise their culture to become a leading super power.
The immediacy of the visual transmussion of cultural values by the digitization of the Creative Industries offers the same potential of Cultural Diplomacy.