Would You Rather be Japanese or American?

[Betsy Ross Patriots]

I'm married to a Japanese man who immigrated to the United States when he was 12 yo.

I asked him today, Would you rather be a Japanese citizen or an American citizen.

What would YOUR choice be and why?

 

[nice gaijin]

I think I would prefer to a citizen in the country in which I reside, if I were to make a choice to spend the majority of my time there.

What was your husband's answer?

 

[Mars Man]

I'd really like to be a world citizen, and wish everyone else were too...naturally. Alas....

I move this here since it was more in the way of Chit Chat & Misc material rather than Serious Discussion material. Thanks for your understanding. MM

 

[MadamePapillon]

As much as I like Japanese culture, both old and new, I'd still have to say I'd choose to be American. Why? Simply because you have more freedom in America to do what you want, say what you like, basically the freedom to be yourself.

Both have their problems but America just seems more welcoming and open than Japan.

 

[bachir]

NIHONJIN naru otoko Daaaaaaaaaa !

hmmmm! more welcoming? perhaps, but lacking so much things that make such a unity in a country. discipline for instance (in everything) .
Well ! without a second of hesitation, i would prefer to be japanese . :nihonjin:

 

[Amathev]

Swedish here.
I think I'd say Japanese.

 

[Damicci]

I'd really like to be a world citizen, and wish everyone else were too...naturally. Alas....

I move this here since it was more in the way of Chit Chat & Misc material rather than Serious Discussion material. Thanks for your understanding. MM

that's an awesome answer. I with MarsMan on this one. I would love to just live where ever, but if everyone could move to where ever with out immigration laws some countries would have serious population problems.

 

[SourceC0de]

A world citizen would be great. But if we couldn't have that, I'd definitly choose japanese.

 

[Haruspex]

Neither, I need no nationality, im simply an individual, and I don't feel anything in common with any nation. I really have no need for boring badges saying that im "Somwhereian" therefore Im probably good at A and poor at B. No thank you!

 

[Mycernius]

Neither. I am already the greatest nationality in the world - English;-)

 

[dreamer]

Having traveled quite a little bit around, I agree with Mars man. Still, I believe that the most important is to be citizen of the country where you feel at home !

 

[Haruspex]

greatest nationality in the world - English;-)

Lol and the Scottish, Welsh, Irish and the Cornish are your witnesses eh?

 

[Tsukiko-chan]

I Wouldn't like to be one of those.. I'm Dutch And altough The netherlands isn't a great country eather.. I think I have it really good around here, And both in Japan and America is there one big problemen I can't deal with and that is stress there is just way to many of it.

 

[Betsy Ross Patriots]

My husband's answer was American. Although modern Japan is much different than the Japan he grew up in, he remembers a lot of discrimination.

I personally believe the United States to be the greatest country in the world, because of the freedoms we have, as well as the opportunity to make anything of your life you want to. As long as you work hard.

I once read that in Japan your acceptance is based on TALL.

That means:

Tall in stature
Tall family reputation
Tall education
Tall title in your employment
and
Tall income

In America any short, uneducated, poor slob can make a success of himself through hard work and common sense.

 

[orochi]

In America any short, uneducated, poor slob can make a success of himself through hard work and common sense.

You can do that in any country.

 

[MadamePapillon]

You can do that in any country.

Not so much in the older, traditional societies where success is still very much determined by family name, social status and wealth.

I don't think the Untouchables of India could climb the social ladder and gain success simply with hard work and common sense. There are invisible but very real barriers to many people in those countries that weren't lucky enough to be born into the right family.

Here, your parents could be drug dealing crack wh*res, you could still make something of yourself, climb the social ladder and find wealth and success. Can the same be said of Japan?

 

[Mycernius]

Lol and the Scottish, Welsh, Irish and the Cornish are your witnesses eh?

They are merely the second greatest.
Nationalism, isn't it great?

Personally I sometimes feel like divorcing myself from the entire human race.

 

[Amathev]

...
I personally believe the United States to be the greatest country in the world, because of the freedoms we have, as well as the opportunity to make ...

The US isn't really that special when it comes to that.

 

[hideway]

Where is the "none" option?

 

[SushiShin]

I'm Japanese so why should I 'wanna be' one? and America isn't my favourite country.
So i would choose carte blanche.

 

[Haruspex]

Personally I sometimes feel like divorcing myself from the entire human race.

I can understand that. Nationality is such a "thin" thing. I for one can't understand how can a person feel something in common with a stranger just because they're related in that way.

 

[dreamer]

Personally I sometimes feel like divorcing myself from the entire human race.

Weird but now that you say it I get the same feeling more and more often as I get older...

I can understand that. Nationality is such a "thin" thing. I for one can't understand how can a person feel something in common with a stranger just because they're related in that way.

In time of crisis we tend to expect help...and instinctively, we turn to people who look the most familiar to us for that...maybe as timewent through, this have created a special feeling?

Now

 

[Pachipro]

Both have their positives and negatives.

As with MM and Damicci I would prefer to be just considered a citizen of the world and be able to live without hassle anywhere I chose. However, if I were living in Japan I would still rather be American as then I would still have the "gaijin card" to play, so to speak, in that I would not be expected to conform to Japanese customs and standards. In other words, I could be me with a free pass while living in a country I greatly enjoy.

Even if I were to change my nationality to Japanese (and I may) after I move back, most Japanese would never know it and I could still get by with my gaijin pass. I think it would be alot harder for a Japanese-American to get the free pass as, just by his/her looks, they would be deemed Japanese and expected to conform. It would be alot harder to live in Japan as a Japanese-American I think.

Based on the loss of freedoms in the USA today, I would have to say that it wouldn't matter one way or another as I felt quite free while living in Japan even though their legal system is quite different from the US'. I would be more afraid of getting arrested in the US today than I would in Japan. I just don't know which way I would vote right now, so I have not voted. Interesting thread btw.

 

[sabro]

I'm Japanese-American. What box do I check?

 

[NihongoNoob]

I'd rather be Japanese.