Yes, but there are limits to this. Make Japan realize that its well-being relies on Chinese, not American power and they should come around. The transition shouldn't be difficult at all. Chinese and Japanese are very visually and culturally similar. I find it hard to believe that given the chance, they would not want to get up from under the foot of the country that dropped 2 bombs on them; only shaking this spectre can get Japan its self-respect back. But that said, it's from my own limited interactions and logic. If, for some reason, they just won't play ball, China can put pressure on them, turn them into the next Nort Korea, let them sit there and rot as they see other nations exalted before them at China's grace. BUT there is no maximum force simply for them exercising their free choice to not join China. After all, we criticize Japanese cruelty; we don't replicate it. Japan didn't have the right to invade China for our refusal to join their east asian cooperation sphere and we don't have to right to invade them for any refusal to join our new world order either.