Democracy in Japan and the USA: A Tale of Two Countries

I followed Japan's recent parliamentary elections more closely than at any previous time during my 25-year residency (as a non-citizen I am unable to vote). Overall, I was impressed by how smoothly and efficiently the democratic process and transfer of power unfolded. 

Contrast this with the US, where elections are regularly mired in controversy, shenanigans, refusal to concede by the losers, lawsuits, and, as it's America, the threat of violence. 

As someone whose future is in Japan, not the US, I have begun  to consider Japanese naturalization so that I, too, can participate in the democratic process here.