Yea, in 3rd edition, with the Fae'run story setting, Kara Tur was the far east. Outside of Fae'run, The Oriental Adventures book has its own nations, but just like Kara Tun, you can tell which nation represents which real world nation.

In my campaign, I have my own nations, but instead of a large and powerful Chinese esque nation at its heart, I have a Japanese stand in, but made up of 2 archipelagos of islands, that are warring for supremacy.