You consider South Korea a success? They have been separated from the other half of the country for 70 years now. I wouldn't consider South Korea as an example of success. Remove the money that the US has pushed to South Korea and I'm not sure they'd get the same results.

As for Japan, I remind you that they still have an emperor for example and they were a super power during WWII definitely not comparable to Afghanistan, Cuba or Vietnam

South Korea and Japan are still occupied.