Oh at least there is an exclusion. Looking further at this it looks like it start in the year 2006.[0] It has limit $100,800 and some other things that can not be excluded. However, I guess my knowledge was a bit out of date. Although, it would still suck to work 6 months in japan, and then work 6 months in the US for instance.

[0]https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/fore...