If Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was ever in his shell, clearly he's broken out of it. During his speech-filled trip to New York the Japanese leader told critics of his defense policies to take a hike. Hours later, he made a wholesale pitch of his economic policies to foreign investors, making it clear he's down with American pop culture by peppering his speech with references--some relevant, some not--to Gordon Gekko, baseball players and even Metallica.

Addressing an audience gathered in the Pierre Hotel to award Mr. Abe the...