I'll bet you'd be glad to be born Japanese.

[cicatriz esp]

This surveys confirms all my opinions about Japanese people.

It's as though a stereotype came to life and punched me in the face. The only thing that somewhat consoles me is that it was only 5000 people polled.

I too think that they should replace the poll results with Nagashima san's answers.

 

[taehyun]

LG and Samsung are Korean!!! ☝
I love LG products +1 for Korea.

Thank you

If someone really loves his/her country they will find a reason to be proud with it, and Nagashima-san is the real proof about it.He is a patriot, not a shauvinist, and I personally like that.Unfortunately, I'm not patriot myself and I really like Japan more than my own country because
1.Its sence of order
2.I like Japanese art and literature more
3.I love momiji and sakura, and all these parks with flowers...
4. The respect to each other...
I'm repeating myself.
Yes, and it is only an hour by plane to Korea

However, about the stereotypes, some I can explain, some not, but I think to offer this research to my classmates in our next intercultural communication class.
Yes, and if you are in Japan and can read Japanese, there's one really good book, which can make many stereotypes clear, it is by Kohta Kodamaﾅｽ邃｢窶ｹﾃ環幸窶伉ｽﾂ、and is about the peasants life in pre-modern Japan.

 

[craftsman]

Here's an interesting comparison from The daily Telegraph.

It's a different poll to one above, asked 3,505 people and is based on the question: What does it mean to be British? But even in this contrived poll where all of the answers were taken from a provided list, things like the scenery, fairness, politeness, strong economy, the weather, restaurants don't look altogether that much different from the kind of answers to the Japanese poll.
I suspect that if free answers were allowed there would be a lot more similarities.

 

[w1ngzer0]

i would love to see that poll for the top 10 economic countries in the world. For some reason i think one or more of the countries will say patriotism.

 

[Elizabeth]

i would love to see that poll for the top 10 economic countries in the world. For some reason i think one or more of the countries will say patriotism.

For virtually any country it is easy to come up with a short list of definable quantities or reasons to enjoy being born and raised there that in combination do make it largely unique. Whether any reason individually is specific only to that place or not. It may be hard to believe, but most people don't love their country primarily because of the langugage (even Japanese !) or a single historical fact or even because it is a Parliamentary democracy.

And the question wasn't even relative to do the pros outway the cons, are you happier than dissatisfied being born in Japan, it so it's impossible to conclude with certainty that all of these stereotypes truly do boil down to patriotism, let alone nationalism...

 

[Maciamo]

Wow, the poll for Britain is much more varied and more evely distributed between the various options. However I find that many answers define Britishness as opposed to other European countries, not as opposed to the rest of the world. For instance "driving on the left" (over 70 countries in the world do, although rightly former British colonies for the most), "the fact that they don't carry ID cards" (rare exception in Europe, but normal by non-European standard), Britain's defiance of the Nazi (mostly a European matter of concern), or the battle of Trafalgar and Waterloo (again, European war only).

i would love to see that poll for the top 10 economic countries in the world. For some reason i think one or more of the countries will say patriotism.

On the contrary, I think it is pretty much an American concept. Never really heard of patriotism in modern Europe (not since WWI, and I was really young at the time ).

 

[sabro]

Seems like a case of confirmational bias all around. The poll is valid, and a sample of 5000 is quite good. For Japan, you only need about 1800 people to give you a statistical validity of +/- 3%. (5000 responses won't really yield different results than 2000.) It wasn't a bad question, just not one you can draw very many conclusions from. People can be glad about being born somewhere for whatever reason, many of which won't be unique to their country only.

I for one am glad that I was born in a free country... although by some measures it isn't the "free-est". I am glad my mountains have seasons... although seasons are not unique to my country. I am glad for the diversity and opportunity, for wealth and education and entertainment opportunities... none of which are uniquely American.

And I for one am glad that the British did not cave into the Nazis.

Nationalism and Patriotism are not American concepts. I've seen what happens to Europeans at world cup, and have read the claims of Europeans about their countries. I would think that there are a lot of people in France or any other country in Europe that are proud of their country and touts it as the best of the best? I have heard rather patriotic sounding pronouncement regarding the superiority of Belgium by someone around here that look rather patriotic from this American perspective.

 

[Maciamo]

Nationalism and Patriotism are not American concepts. I've seen what happens to Europeans at world cup, and have read the claims of Europeans about their countries. I would think that there are a lot of people in France or any other country in Europe that are proud of their country and touts it as the best of the best? I have heard rather patriotic sounding pronouncement regarding the superiority of Belgium by someone around here that look rather patriotic from this American perspective.

Nationalism has existed a bit everywhere in Europe, although not much since WWI. French people are chauvinistic, Italians or Spaniards are proud of their nation, but that's different from being patriotic. Patriotism implies that one is ready to die protecting his/her country, or sings the national anthem, or hang the national flag at their window. These kind of behaviour are typical of the USA, and very rare in most European countries (despite the fact that people are proud of their country or state).

 

[Iron Chef]

Don't forget the Olympic games. 8-p Everyone's little inner patriot seems to come to life about that time although maybe not so much nowadays as when I was younger. Growing up in the eighties, competing for the gold against the likes of Russia or China, was always kind of billed as something more than a mere sporting contest. At least that's how it felt to me judging from the media coverage.

 

[sabro]

Patriotism implies that one is ready to die protecting his/her country, or sings the national anthem, or hang the national flag at their window...

It does seem to have that connotation. So I gather that the European's love and devotion to his country runs only to football and other sports and that any kind of sacrifice or open sign of affection for one's country is seen as bad or at least "so 20th century." Having never been to Europe, I can't disagree.

As much as we disgree over everything in our country, as much as we hate our own government and loathe taxes... we express love and devotion to our country and are willing to sacrifice for it. Flags do fly from some houses from time to time. And we do put stickers in our cars and sing the national anthem whenever we can. We recite the Pledge of Allegiance daily in schools across the country.

I did notice that Canadians do sing their national anthem (and so do we) at baseball and hockey games with Candadian teams. At Disneyland yesterday, I saw an Irish couple in green sports gear with the Irish flag... and a group of Italians sporting Italia flagwear- hats and jackets. In California, you see a significant number of cars sporting American flags... but also a good number of flags from Mexico, El Salvador, Guatamala, and a few English, Irish, Welsh, Spanish, Italian, Canadian, Norweigian, Swiss and Greek flag stickers. Those people are not afraid to express affection for their countries.

 

[Maciamo]

It does seem to have that connotation. So I gather that the European's love and devotion to his country runs only to football and other sports and that any kind of sacrifice or open sign of affection for one's country is seen as bad or at least "so 20th century." Having never been to Europe, I can't disagree.

Not just sports. People can be proud of their history, culture, food, system, or many other things. But in many European countries (there are exceptions) national flags and national anthems are less important than in the US. Maybe that's because regional/European flags and regional identities are as important or more important than national ones for many Europeans. I have never sung my national anthem, although I have hummed or sung other countries' anthems, like I would for any song if I like them. AFAIK no European country has institutionalised anthem singing at school like in the US.

 

[sabro]

It seems like you are making some negative judgement about Americans.

Perhaps it is because there is no national ethnic or racial identity that we in the US are only tied by or national identity that symbols of that national identity are important. Affection for our national symbols is definitely part of our culture, but I'm not sure that it is unique. I'm certain though that there are many Irish, Spanish, French, and British patriots that proudly sing their anthems. Are you certain the national regional thing is true for all Europeans? And for many in the South, their regional identity is more important than their national identity... just don't try burning an American flag down in Dixie though... Southerners are still Americans.

The patriotic excercise at schools is usually the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The National Anthem tends to be sung at public gatherings and sporting events and used to be played by TV stations way back when they signed off for the night.

 

[sabro]

Of course, I think being "proud of their history, culture, food, system, or many other things" is identical to the "love of country" identified as patriotism, and is exactly what is reflected in both the British and Japanese polls. To say you love your countries mountains doesn't mean that other countries don't have mountains... or that you love your country's seasons, that other countries don't have those either. Asking what you love about your country is like asking what you love about your spouse. A lot of the answers will overlap from person to person. That won't make them invalid, it just means that people have something in common.

 

[craftsman]

To say you love your countries mountains doesn't mean that other countries don't have mountains... or that you love your country's seasons, that other countries don't have those either. Asking what you love about your country is like asking what you love about your spouse. A lot of the answers will overlap from person to person. That won't make them invalid, it just means that people have something in common.

Exactly. You have articulated this point very well. The Japanese poll I think is interesting not so much that it displayed common stereotypes but because it was so generalised that most of the points could be applied to many other countries. If the same poll were done in different countries, asking exactly the same question, they would I am sure be strikingly similar.

 

[Maciamo]

It seems like you are making some negative judgement about Americans.

Why is that ? What did I say ?

Perhaps it is because there is no national ethnic or racial identity that we in the US are only tied by or national identity that symbols of that national identity are important.

Probably, yes.

I'm certain though that there are many Irish, Spanish, French, and British patriots that proudly sing their anthems. Are you certain the national regional thing is true for all Europeans?

There have been polls about this made by the EU. People who have the strongest regional identity are the Germans, Belgians, Spaniards and Italians. In Britain it is mostly the Scots, Welsh and Irish that feel strongly about their region, while the English feel more "British". However I hear more often the anthem of England ("Rule, Britannia") than that of the UK ("God saves the Queen"). Smaller countries like Ireland, Nordic and many East European countries, may not have a regional identity because they are more culturally and linguistically uniform. Belgium is the only exception to that.

The patriotic excercise at schools is usually the daily recitation of the Pledge of Allegiance. The National Anthem tends to be sung at public gatherings and sporting events and used to be played by TV stations way back when they signed off for the night.

Never heard of anything like that in Europe. I wouldn't sing to my flag, even if you paid me or tried to force me. It's not because I dislike my country or am not proud of it, it's just not something I like.

To say you love your countries mountains doesn't mean that other countries don't have mountains... or that you love your country's seasons, that other countries don't have those either.

What if I say : I love my country because there the sun sets in the evening and rises in the morning, because there are trees and birds, and especially because we can cook things with a microwave. Wouldn't it sound strange because it is not peculiar to one country ? When I hear the Japanese day they like Japan because of the seasons, it feels just like they like it because the sun sets in the evening and rises in the morning.

 

[Maciamo]

What? Gun ownership is almost non-existent in Japan so any country that has guns at all is less gun-free than Japan. For reference:

Percent of households with a handgun, 1991 (1)

United States 29%
Switzerland 14
Finland 7
Germany 7
Belgium 6
France 6
Canada 5
Norway 4
Europe 4
Australia 2
Netherlands 2
United Kingdom 1

I don't see Japan in these stats. I cannot trust these stats, because gun laws are very strict in most of Europe, and except for hunters, soldiers or policemen, virtually nobody has one. I am sure that there isn't 6% of the Belgian households who have a gun. Maybe these stats were made by diving the number for the total sales of gun by the number of households, without actually knowing how many households had guns (could be that the army or the police bought 99% of the guns). Or maybe they count air guns or alarm pistols as guns.

If you check the number of people in the police and in the army you get the number of households with a gun with a household member in the army or police.

If you divide the country's population by the average size of households, you get the number of households. Compare the two to get the percentage of households with a gun who have a member in the police/army.

Let's take Germany : 82 million divided by 2.2 people by households = 37 million households.
470,000 (police/army personnel) divided by 37 million (households) x 100 = 1.27% of households with a gun only for households with a member in the police/army.

Now for Japan : 127 million/2.8 = 45 million
382,000 / 45 million x100 = 0.85%

I found out that an additional 228,000 Japanese had a hunting licence for a shotgun or rifle (in 1991, see Japanese government stats). So the total percentage of Japanese households legally owning a gun would be closer to this :

610,000 / 45 million x100 = 1.35%

There is a disparity because the gun licence stats are for 1991, and the population I used is for 2006. In 1991 the Japanese population was not 127 million but 124 million.

So, nearly 1.5% of Japanese households probably have a gun, just because they have a family member in the police or SDF, or through a hunting licence. Add to this the yakuza and other people who may have an unregistered gun, and it could be up to 2%, more than your stats for the UK.

 

[caster51]

So, nearly 1.5% of Japanese households probably have a gun

Japanese households probably have a gunﾂ In houseﾂ？

 

[Mycernius]

However I hear more often the anthem of England ("Rule, Britannia") than that of the UK ("God saves the Queen").

The anthem for England is "Land of Hope and Glory", not "Rule Britannia".

Looking at the stats for gun ownership I have a feeling that Switzerland is higher than 14% because army conscription is compulsory and they keep their weapons at home.

 

[Maciamo]

The anthem for England is "Land of Hope and Glory", not "Rule Britannia".

Depends on your sources. It can also be "Jerusalem". As they are all unofficial anthem, I don't see why there should only be one.

 

[sabro]

I think those stats include law enforcement and don't double count... If you counted all the guns in the US and divided by the number of people, you would exceed 100%. We easily have more guns than people. About 1/3 of the households have guns, and those that do usually have more than one.

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Americans are loaded in more ways then one, LOL.

We have 3 guns for my wife and 3 for me(6 total now). Before I got married I had 22 guns in my collection and probably 3 to 5 thousand rounds of ammunition. I have had a license to carry a concealed firearm for over 30 years. I usually have a model 1911 45 auto cocked and locked in the small of my back, my security blanket.

Uncle Frank

☝

 

[sabro]

I used to have a shotgun, two rifles, and two small handguns... I think my mother traded to the Sheriff for movie tickets. The only "guns" I have now are for flinging paintballs at my kids, and for them to shoot back. (It only seemed fair). I do miss the M1- Garand though. It had this unusual design feature that cause the bolt to close on your thumb when you inserted a stripper clip. ("M1 Thumb") I'm certain that a lot of GI's in WWII have a permanently disfigured digit due to this.

 

[Gentleman10]

I don't see Japan in these stats. I cannot trust these stats, because gun laws are very strict in most of Europe, and except for hunters, soldiers or policemen, virtually nobody has one. I am sure that there isn't 6% of the Belgian households who have a gun. Maybe these stats were made by diving the number for the total sales of gun by the number of households, without actually knowing how many households had guns (could be that the army or the police bought 99% of the guns). Or maybe they count air guns or alarm pistols as guns.

If you check the number of people in the police and in the army you get the number of households with a gun with a household member in the army or police.

If you divide the country's population by the average size of households, you get the number of households. Compare the two to get the percentage of households with a gun who have a member in the police/army.

Let's take Germany : 82 million divided by 2.2 people by households = 37 million households.
470,000 (police/army personnel) divided by 37 million (households) x 100 = 1.27% of households with a gun only for households with a member in the police/army.

Now for Japan : 127 million/2.8 = 45 million
382,000 / 45 million x100 = 0.85%

I found out that an additional 228,000 Japanese had a hunting licence for a shotgun or rifle (in 1991, see Japanese government stats). So the total percentage of Japanese households legally owning a gun would be closer to this :

610,000 / 45 million x100 = 1.35%

There is a disparity because the gun licence stats are for 1991, and the population I used is for 2006. In 1991 the Japanese population was not 127 million but 124 million.

So, nearly 1.5% of Japanese households probably have a gun, just because they have a family member in the police or SDF, or through a hunting licence. Add to this the yakuza and other people who may have an unregistered gun, and it could be up to 2%, more than your stats for the UK.

Way to be technical...

 

[Grandpa Frank]

Maybe we should start a new thread....

Show Us Your Gun !! Close up pics of your beloved gun, LOL.

Uncle Frank

 

[Hiroyuki Nagashima]

I used to have a shotgun, two rifles, and two small handguns... I think my mother traded to the Sheriff for movie tickets. The only "guns" I have now are for flinging paintballs at my kids, and for them to shoot back. (It only seemed fair). I do miss the M1- Garand though. It had this unusual design feature that cause the bolt to close on your thumb when you inserted a stripper clip. ("M1 Thumb") I'm certain that a lot of GI's in WWII have a permanently disfigured digit due to this.

"M1- Garand" is sold in Japan.
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I have "H&K G36C".
(It is electric air GUN)