On the theory that Japanese identify themselves so closely with bonzai, that
they actually think of themselves as being bonsai?

What on earth are you talking about? The word banzai is a war cry, like
"Geronimo!". It has nothing whatever to do with bonsai, which is a hobby of
growing dwarf trees in pots. The Japanese don't "identify themselves" with
bonsai any more than Americans identify themselves with baseball or shopping
malls. This is silly.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)