I flew from Kuala Lumpur to Narita, Japan to Chicago. No hassle at immigration checkpoint in Chicago’s O’Hare Airport;  took only several seconds.
Perhaps the radio frequency identification tag in the front cover of my passport allowed the ‘system’ to call-up my file and display my photo on a clerk’s screen as I approached.

The clerk took my booklet, looked at the photo page and asked, “How long have you been out of the country?” I replied, “Seventeen months.” He stamped a page, returned the passport and said, “Have a nice day” or something similar.
Going through U.S. Customs wasn’t as easy.