Though, post-1868, the Imperial Japanese Army did salute so as to operate just like all Western-style armies. So, we're just picking and choosing which parts of Japanese culture and tradition we want. There is, for example, no hint of a SARP equivalent to State/Shrine Shinto (not to be confused with other forms of Shinto) that honored the war dead, demanded sacrifice for the Emperor and overall, encouraged militaristic ultranationalism in Japan, post Meiji Restoration.