Is Japan a Western country ?

[kirby36]

Geographically and ethinically, Japan would hardly be Western. Also philosophically again, hardly Western.Hard to see how any one would define it as Western,except for usage of some later developed western technology.

Sir,you hit the nail on the coffin.

S Koreans are grinding out top line big screen TV,cell phones,plus numerous Western-technology inspired consumer products in recent years,how come Western people haven't contemplate whether or not Korea is now fit for " Western Country " status.

[ricecake]

Yeah, I don't think Han is that kind of person...ricecake must have been confusing him with Ghettodoink

All right .... my bad,it's Ghetto-doink

[taehyun]

It's easy, Japan is Japan.
Neither Western, nor Asian. Just Japan, so let it be

Absolutely agree!!

[yamakazu]

It is quite obvious that Japan isn't "Western Country". Some Japanese wanted or want to be it,they failed or will fail to do it. I don't like to see the people who think it that the white are superior to the yellow.

[BenWa]

Japan is unique in its own way. Its almost like its own seperate world.
And that world kicks ***.

[Maciamo]

Japan is unique in its own way. Its almost like its own seperate world.
And that world kicks ***.

Let me disagree. After going to Korea and China, I found that Japan was more similar to these countries than some European countries together.

[caster51]

I found that Japan was more similar to these countries than some European countries together.

because they are also asian.

[Sukotto]

because they are also asian.

I had heard, maybe from a Japanese professor (memory...),
that Korean, Japanese, and Chinese culture are more different
from each other than various European cultures are from each other.

[CBC Guy]

Japan may be the most westernized of the Asian nations, but... its not even close.

They have some similarities, like punctuality, politeness, cleanliness, etc.
And of course the consumer society. But just because its a consumer society doesn't mean its "western." For example, is Hong Kong "western" because it has malls? Is China "western" because it has KFCs? No.

Japan has a distinct culture very much its own, and I don't think its truly 'westernized." And you know what? That might not be a bad thing. The "western" model might not be the only model for development. Japan should not lose its traditions, just as I believe China should not change its traditions TOO much. Some of them supercially enjoy aspects of "American" culture, that's fine, just don't lose your own roots.

Asia should not sell out to the west too much...

[extricate]

Japan is in a sense a "western" nation because if it were not for the west, Japan would not be the democratic, economic powerhouse, and prosperous
nation we see today. Also I'm rather disheartened by the Japanese people on this thread completely rejecting any idea of them being westernized at all . Lets take a look at some history shall we?
Japan began an offical policy of modernization in 1868, From the 1700's on up they translation many european treatsies on various topics including but not limited to medicine, astronomy, philosophy, etc. In 1811 Japan made a government agency called the "Institute for the Investigation of Barbarian Books." It is unwise to think that Japan became this way on her own. The education system was set up on western models, Armies were trained with Western Tactics and instructors in the late 1800's. The first "democracy" of Japan was set up on the prussian model. Moderization was set up on western models. This is just pure and utter fact and history. The leaders of this time period saw the necessity to modernize and I believe it was a logical decesion on their part. Also after WWII democracy was set up by the USA in Japan.
I'm not trying to say all of Japans success is because of the west. Japan (and Germany as well) did absolutely splendid jobs rebuilding themselves after WWII. I'm just saying without western Influence we probably wouldn't see the same Japan that we see today. Also keep in note Japan has a long history of culture and idea borrowing. It was pretty much a steady thing throughout their entire history (in bc times it was China).
"Is Japan a western nation?" This is hard to discern. i'm not sure if i would define it as a western country but most definitly a westernized country

[extricate]

Food
Clothing
Hair Styles
Youth Attitudes
Foul Language
Vulgar Public Behavior
Erosion of Cultural Values & Traditions
Ghastly Music
. . . to name a few.
Do you not see the irony in an American mourning Japanese culture? My culture is ruining yours and you do not seem at all concerned. It is shocking and very sad.
Do you not care about the integrity of your culture?

you sir are what's called a neo-intellectual. A person that tries to sound smart by condemning things, and or ideas. If you dont like our country then leave.
America has a lot of strong points (our written constitution is a superb document) and a lot of weak points (foreign policy...), but doesnt every nation?

[Han Chan]

If you dont like our country then leave.

I know that many japanese are fed up listening to americans complaining about Japan and japanese people. I would wish that they would be less polite and actually tell these arrogant americans: "If you dont like our country then leave!!!".

I know that most americans in Japan behave well, but the arrogant ones are really upsetting the japanese, they are just too insensitive to even notice it.

[Glenn]

Yeah, it's just the Americans. No one from Europe ever complains about Japan. No one from Australia either.

[Sukotto]

Sir,you hit the nail on the coffin.
S Koreans are grinding out top line big screen TV,cell phones,plus numerous Western-technology inspired consumer products in recent years,how come Western people haven't contemplate whether or not Korea is now fit for " Western Country "

sad thing is, all too many people in the states or maybe it is just media representations, the view is that technology is what makes a country civilized.
and all those other places are some how backwards because of lack of tech.
now that i know better and am growed up, i find that it was quite naive to view the world that way, to put it nicely.

[lilevilbrian]

I think Japan is modernizing, not westernizing. If any country in asia was to be considered most western, it would probally be the philippines

[Supervin]

...
that Korean, Japanese, and Chinese culture are more different
from each other ...

Not at all.

I have shared so much common experience with my Japanese and Korean friends, including movies, TV shows, music, cultural habits, language similarities and enjoyed food. Chinese, Japanese and Korean culture have often been shared with one another.

Despite the language differences, kanji (or hanja in Korean) has always been the bridge. Some of my Japanese friends are even more well versed than I am in some parts of Chinese history, and Korean friends for Chinese movies. Likewise, I am more well versed than some of them in Japanese or Korean movies or music and so on. It's thus no coincidence that actors and actresses can star in each other's movies and television commercials. This is why most can often name popular idols in all three areas: Chinese speaking places (Hong Kong, China, Taiwan), Japan and Korea.

This realization however is often more common for Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who are living abroad or have been, due to greater exposure and understanding.

[Sukotto]

This realization however is often more common for Chinese, Japanese and Koreans who are living abroad or have been, due to greater exposure and understanding.

...
that Korean, Japanese, and Chinese culture are more different
from each other ...


This comes from a Japanese college prof teaching Japanese in the states though.
Maybe she meant traditional culture and not "pop" culture?

[Maciamo]

I think Japan is modernizing, not westernizing. If any country in asia was to be considered most western, it would probally be the philippines

Or Israel, or Turkey, or India...

[bexchurnside]

Japan is just playing the role of poser, it's like calling someone a model just because they own a pair designer jeans, or a better example is like Matsui coming over and playing for the Yankees, they have baseball in Japan but wait, whats that? america has it made and this makes japan fiend to be more "western" in everything it does to the point that they are fleeing their tiny island smaller than california to try and get a piece of our rich golden-brown american pie. so this leads me to believe what i hear time and time again, that the "majority" of Japanese people want to affilate themselves with america in any way they can, thus the reason why we don't have mail order brides in the states, case closed.
God bless america,
Josh
Ghettocities Clothing (Tokyo Promo 02/03)
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I want to just add for fun, a Japanese sentiment mixed with my British. Fusing British and Japanese mindset, I would like to ask, why would you Japanese want to align yourselves with the vulgar Americans when you could be refined enough to be with the British? Don't sell yourself short by aligning yourselves with the dreggs of Europe! They are but peasants. Don't sell yourselves short!

Perhaps westerns are only for the movies...
seriously, I think industrialization and government types are not the leading thing to say which country is western or not, more like which nations were originally european and became the majority of that particular country, along with the language spoken...asia is predominantly asian, africans are predominantly black....Australians and New Zealanders tend to be run under British rule, so it is now a western nation with european values, and so is america (even if it became independent of British rule)...think these are what makes a country Western....and Japan is definitely not taken after the european mold, even if the government was set up by americans after the second world war...

Hmm, speaking of wannabee, perhaps you are right. Goldiegirl did mention that her husband was "congratulated" for being able to get a white woman, as if she was some sort of a fine set of antlers! But I wouldn't have thought that the Japanese are on the same level as those from the Philipines. (Hey, now that counts for a Western country as it is a Christian country!)

[Nicholas0016]

Japan is not a western country. I've never seen it but I can take a wild guess from the photos.


Lol, if Japan was a west country you would have tourist around every corner from our country. They only really go where it has some parts of home to them,

[MRC1]

The world has change dramatically in the last 60 years, maybe we should redefine what we mean as a eastern country and a western country. I realize my definition is not current because of the Cold War era that I grew up in and later work in as a young adult.

[Basdlah]

I'm Mexican, and in Mexico we have a western life-style. I know, many think that we are a "developing" country, mostly non-white, but it's not the ethnicity, nor the money, but the political organization of the country.

[loquela]

This is just another directionless bicker over semantics. It reminds me of the gaijin debate.

It might have been helpful if Maciamo had clarified the question in the first place:
What do you mean by 'Western'?

• Is Japan Western (Geographically)? - No.
• Is Japan Industrialised? - Yes.
• Is Japan a democratic nation? Yes.
• Is Japan a capitalist state? Yes.
• Does it share the same (christian-based) values as most of Europe, Australasia and America? - Not really.

By the the way, I mean Christian-based values. I'm not a christian either but like it or not most of the historical common values of Europe, America, Australasia are based on Christianity
The question 'Is Japan a Western country?' is meaningless until you explain what you mean by western.

[loquela]

Japan is not a western country. I've never seen it but I can take a wild guess from the photos.

Yes, forming opinions of a nation's political and cultural make-up from photos would be pretty wild.

[Mrjones]

You dont need any politics, just look at the map.