Is Japan a Western country ?

[stupidumboy]

This is a bit simple indeed. Australia is a Western country (nobody would deny it) eventhough it is geographically as East as Japan. Because Western culture and people have spread on all over the world, the original geographic meaning of "Western" has lost its significance. Because lots of Western countries have become ethnically mixed (like the US, UK or Australia), being Western does not just mean being Caucasian. Because geography and ethic origins do not matter to be Western, it's more in the way people think and behave, but without forgetting that there are huge differences between Italian, Finnish, Irish, French, American or Australian people, but they are all Western nevertheless. Is there enough similarity between the Japanese and people from these Western countries to consider Japan one of them ? I could find many similarities between the Japanese and the Germans, Italians or Britons - although much less with the French or Americans.

@Maciamo,

Of course Australia does belong to Oceania geographicaly,but they tend to look for their ancestors origin from Britain and they still tend to put more concernings on their British identity.(therefore its related to european somehow) Its much like that Canadians are proud of their identity being as the member of british commen wealth.
I am not saying that they are racists but they are just very proud of their identity ties with Europe. thats all.


Of course,there are other minority ethnities living in Austalia or Canada and the majority white people try their best to give the equal chances for them.
But the Asian minority also tend to try to look for their identity from Asian countries from where their ancestors moved if they were on the situation to clarify themselves somehow by all means.

Many social science scholars often tend to put these notions first hand when they make some generalization or new findings-like samuel huntington or francis fukuyama.

Yes as you told,the answer might be related to that of the way people think and behave,but still people tend to put it behind than geographical origin and ethnical looking.I think due to influence of medias and western standadized education globally,people's ways of thinking and behaviors has less things to do with defining the western or eastern things today.But it should come with individual difference.

[ippolito]

I think that Japan it is between West and East.
It is my opinion that jp people have lost a part of they identity
forgetting their old culture and living in futuristic hitech life.
Too much u.s. way of life...expecially in big towns like Tokyo.
Well is their life it is their country so they decide wich is their favorite model.
What can I say that they do not enjoy too much their life if coomon people
as live for work and not like we say we work to live.
Normally an italian worker could have from 22 to 26 days of vacation
that means with Sundays and Saturadys more than one month.

As far I know in Japan the workers could have a week or 2 weeks off.
So with this style of life they will be happy at 65 years when retired.
It my opinion that a young coople should have a space of their life suficient to travel in Japan or in the world....
I am not anymore young and before I have been travelling a lot now cannot anymore like before....but when younger I visit many places in this world
I met a lot of people and culture...and I think travel meet other culture
different way of life and see marwelous attractions is one of the best thing a man can do.
I find funnny (in a good way) the jp groups that visit Italy in 5 days
they run so much I understand that they must do all with a week ....
You cannot image how many historical reachness we have here and need more that a week only to visit Rome...image Florence Venice etc....
hello all
Ippolito

[cicatriz esp]

I think that Japan it is between West and East.
It is my opinion that jp people have lost a part of they identity
forgetting their old culture and living in futuristic hitech life.
Too much u.s. way of life...

Interesting. Forgive me if i am wrong, but in your opinion, the US way of life is fast and high tech. I would say that this applies to the big cities, but not really to the suburbs or rural areas. I know of people that dont know how to use a computer at all, and they work as little as possible. Once again, i'd recommend to the Europeans that if they visit the US, take a short jaunt out to the suburbs or other quiet areas. Some misconceptions may be cleared up.

This reminds me of the old adage: "Ask a Brazilian what he thinks of Americans, he will say 'works too hard, cant relax, too terse, no sense of humor'. Ask a Japanese and he will say 'too lazy, jokes about everything, too informal'".

[ippolito]

Well the nice is that in a forum we have different opinions and we can
discuss about .
Japanese have a big number if suicides many have dedicaed most of they life for the company but when the economic situation is badder ....so itis a big problem.
I think we must respect the company in which we work as we are paid and it is a bilateral relation. This does not mean that you must love your company and work so hard forgetting family leisure travels etc...when the company say bye
a deep depression comes.
Work too much is not good be lazy it is not good but in aa middle waay could be very good.... normaly we work here 8 or 9 hours a day and weekend off.
I have been travelling in the main towns in Us and I was living in Queens N.Y.
Sorry but I do not like the american way of life....it is not for me...
I would live in Japan in those little village or in Okinawa.
Enjoy all your life
Here today it is a sad day as it seems that our 2 italian girls
voluntares to help iraqui children have been killed...in the same horrible way they use there....we are waiting a confirm but all of us are expexting that it was only medianic terrorism.
I am near to all the families that lost somebody in those execution that take us back to 500 years ago.
Ippolito

[Kei_Shugojin]

Well, going by geographic definitions, Japan is an eastern nation, because it is in what has been designated the "eastern" hemisphere. That is, it is on the other side of the international date line.

However, culturally, I believe... that it is still eastern. lol. Not to offend any native japanese, but from what I've studied in the culture, the Japanese have had a trend of adapting and reshaping certain parts of other cultures to their own. Not that there's anything wrong with this, but it's just the way it's always been. I think Japan is just undergoing another "Transformation" along the lines of it's first contact with China.

Again, this is just my opinion, and it's based on what I remember of Japanese history. If I made any mistatkes, feel free to correct me.

[Maciamo]

Well, going by geographic definitions, Japan is an eastern nation, because it is in what has been designated the "eastern" hemisphere. That is, it is on the other side of the international date line.

Before writing this, think whether Australia and New Zealand are Western nations or not. If you are not sure where they are located geographically, let me remind you that Japan's longitude fits exactly in the middle of Australia.

As for the international date line, you must be kidding right ? All the world id somewhere between GMT+12 and GMT-12. You didn't mean that the separation is GMT 0 (=Greenwich, East London), otherwise most of the UK, Portugal, Spain (without Catalonia) and the West of France would be Western, while the rest of Europe would be Eastern, which is ridiculous.

[chikazukiyasui]

Before writing this, think whether Australia and New Zealand are Western nations or not. If you are not sure where they are located geographically, let me remind you that Japan's longitude fits exactly in the middle of Australia.

The Eastern/Western distinction ony works as a geographical distinction when it is applied to Eurasia. Africa, the Americas, and Oceania only come in as culturally Eastern or Western, depending on how much European or Asian influence they have experienced.

[Maciamo]

The Eastern/Western distinction ony works as a geographical distinction when it is applied to Eurasia. Africa, the Americas, and Oceania only come in as culturally Eastern or Western, depending on how much European or Asian influence they have experienced.

Can you really put Europe and Africa in the same "Western" category ?

[ippolito]

Can you really put Europe and Africa in the same "Western" category ?

Cerntainly not....different cultures different governaments..and in Africa democracy is not a very common word in those governements.

[Reiku]

LOL

...and that is why I gave up on questions like these when I realized the world was round.

Heck--to Canada we're both southern nations!

[Maciamo]

...and that is why I gave up on questions like these when I realized the world was round.

Read the above posts to understand why what you wrote doesn't make the least sense.

Heck--to Canada we're both southern nations!

And to half of Europe as well. If you check a world map, you'll see that the northenmost places in the US are at the same latitude as France or Southern Germany Seattle, for instance, is at the same latitude as Paris, while New York is at the latitude of Naples and San Francisco at the latitude of Gibraltar (or Tokyo). Even Montreal is at the latitude of Milano. So the UK, Ireland, the benelux, Northern Germany, Scandinavia and Finland are all North of the US (except Alaska, which is at the latitude of Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Finland and Northern Sweden). That may come as a blow to some Americans, but all the US states from Califonia to Washington DC are at the same latitude as North Africa (Sahara...) and "the southern nation of Iraq" (to quote Micheal Moore). The obvious similarity between the Southern US states (except California), North Africa and the Middle East is religious fanaticism (what else could be similar ?). But whatever.

[CGPGroup]

From a geographical and cultural point of view, Japan is definetly Eastern. from an Industrial and Economic point of view it is definetly western-like.

[Sam]

Is Japan a Western country ?
FUNNY!!!
Maciamo: What a foolish Japanese person!!!! Are all your people like you?

[RockLee]

Is Japan a Western country ?
FUNNY!!!
Maciamo: What a foolish Japanese person!!!! Are all your people like you?

Maciamo isn't japanese you clown....now beat it with ur propaganda against Japan....

[Yukipenguin]

Ha. The "Maybe, depends how you see it" option completely defeats the purpose of the poll. Is the sky blue? "Maybe, depends on how you see it"

[Maciamo]

Ha. The "Maybe, depends how you see it" option completely defeats the purpose of the poll. Is the sky blue? "Maybe, depends on how you see it"

That is the answer I chose and if you read my posts in this thread you will understand why I couldn't choose any other option. However the "it depends how you see it part" refers to the point of view (eg. ecnomical, cultural, political...), not to the way you "sense" it.

[Keeni84]

I would like to thank the starter of this thread for sparking such an interesting debate.

However, I just have one question:

Why is it that industrialization equals Westernization?

[Maciamo]

Why is it that industrialization equals Westernization?

Did I say that ? Adopting a Western political, economical and educational system, Western clothes, Western food and Western habits (weddings, sports, etc.) has nothing to do with industrialization. But Japan has copied the West on all these (even particular country in the West, not all, for example it has taken little from Spain and the Nordic countries).

I think it is difficult to imagine nowadays how different Japan was 140 years ago. It is not only Japan that has copied the West, but almost all other countries in the world (willingly or through colonization). Japan has done it willingly, and has done it more throughly than almost any other country (Korea is getting close too, not to speak of Singapore and HK), which is why I do consider it a Westerized country (although not properly Western for many fundamental differences remain in mentality, morals, traditions and customs).

PLease read this article of mine to understand how deeply Japan has adopted Western ways, not just economically, but culturally.

[Keeni84]

Did I say that ?

Calm down.

I didn't SAY you said that. This is an open ended question.

Adopting a Western political, economical and educational system, Western clothes, Western food and Western habits (weddings, sports, etc.) has nothing to do with industrialization.

Yes I know, and once again this is not my question. Pay attention! You are a smart person. Don't get caught up in everything else going on around you and read the question.

Some people said that industrialization (etc.) is equal to Westernization and I just wanted to know WHY.

[Brooker]

Of course Japan is an Asian country, but what about in the minds of the people of the world and in the minds of the people of Japan? Japanese people seem to see themselves as being quite different from the rest of Asia and Japan seems to have much more economic and cultural ties to Western countries. Japan's history may be similar to other Asian countries, but its present is quite different. To me, Japan felt like a Western country that just happened to be in Asia. Of course, some cultural things are different from Western countries, but the lifestyle is very similar. It seems like many Japanese people would like Japan to be accepted by Western countries as being "one of them". Few of the Japanese people I talked to had ever traveled to any other Asian country, but many of them had traveled to America and Europe.

What do you think about this?

[Dutch Baka]

you always here, that japan is a mix of western and asia yeah...

we should find out a new name for that i geus...

just i dont know about the livestyle ( havnt been in japan myself yet..) you mean working lifestyle? at least no culture..

my girl isnt that interesting in asian country's as i hear from more japanese , how ever i met a couple of japanese that went to korea, and my girl would like to go to vietnam herself ( jewlery.. woman and shopping.. HELP ME)

maby someday japan will become a Western style country,,, but for now
I think i love the mix of western, and asian in it...

greetings Baka Dutch

GOod thread Brooker!!

[TheKansaiKid]

There is a line in that movie where his ramontic interest says something like "Japan takes the best from all over the world and makes it her own". I find that many countries borrow aspects of culture they find attractive. (look at Japanese management techniques popularity in the 80's, sushi etc.) But Japan takes the "borrow" from other cultures thing to a preeminent level. In the past they borrowed from Chinese culture with writing, food etc. Now it is from the west with entertainment, music, clothes etc.

As for the threads original question "Is Japan a Western Country?" My oppinion is Japan is too beautifully unique to pigeonhole as western OR Asian. I would say Japan is a very Japanese country ;)

[misa.j]

I would say Japan is a very Japanese country ;)

I love that line.

It seems like many Japanese people would like Japan to be accepted by Western countries as being "one of them".

I know what you mean. Japanese have had a strong fascination toward America and some European countries and have been trying to adopt their ways of living for a long time.

It is kind of weird how it's not really reflecting on some of the Japanese people's mentality, but yeah, I think the western countries have had most influence on the modern society of Japan because they are very different.

[If time can talk...]

I think Japan is a country which is always ready to learn.It's always learning from those which are stronger or richer that itself.According to history,Japan learnt from China in the Tang Dynasty,cause China was strong at that time.And now,it learns more from western countries.Its culture and lauguage roots in Asia,but modern life seems more alike with westerners.

Always keep learning,I like this point.
( But hope it won't learn anything just because westerners do )

[Maciamo]

I think Japan is a country which is always ready to learn.It's always learning from those which are stronger or richer that itself.According to history,Japan learnt from China in the Tang Dynasty,cause China was strong at that time.And now,it learns more from western countries.Its culture and lauguage roots in Asia,but modern life seems more alike with westerners.

I'd like to nuance this by saying that the Japanese learn almost only what is practical and useful to become richer. So it's mostly business or industry related. When it comes to understanding other cultures, world history, geography, foreign languages (except if it's useful) or anything else, I'd say that the Japanese are very poor learners. Maybe it is because anything that is not directly useful to them is seen as unworthy to learn. Many have an interest in "the rest of the world" but it is usually a very superficial one, and they end up not learning much about anything.

Always keep learning,I like this point.

Yes, me too, and that is why I dislike rednecks or uneducated people in general. This dislike is amplified by the age of the uneducated person in question, since the longer one lives, the more one can learn. I tend to have quite negative feelings toward many older Japanese people because most of those I have met were very ignorant, although they have had many more years than me to learn about all the things of the world. I know that may sound intolerant, but without this intolerance of mediocrity and ignorance I wouldn't be pressured to learn as much as I do.