Comparing and Contrasting Japanese and American Cultures

Culture plays a vital role in defining

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/actor-emile-hirsch-pleads-guilty-misdemeanor-assault-attack-33
140811 a group of people, helping to shape the way they live, the traditions they carry out, and how
theyre viewed by others. That being said, cultures vary greatly worldwide; some customs that are
normal to Americans may seem strange to those living in Japan, for example. On the other hand,
though, common ground can exist among different cultures, and there are similarities, in addition to
differences between American and Japanese Culture.
Entertainment in America and Japan
To begin with, American and Japanese cultures both place an emphasis on film and video as a form
of entertainment. In America, its not uncommon for the media to pay a great deal of attention to new
film releases and upcoming television premiers. Similarly; Japanese culture focuses on motion
pictures for entertainment, namely through the promotion of anime, the Japanese contribution to the
animation industry.

Much like animated Disney movies are prominent in American culture, anime films are a common
appearance in Japanese culture. Anime films are so popular, in fact, that theyre even viewed in the
United States, creating a link between American and Japanese culture.
Respect for Women in American and Japanese Cultures
America and Japan may share similar interests regarding entertainment, but one must remember
that the two countries are at opposite ends of the world, creating differences in the way people live
in the two areas. Perhaps the greatest difference between Japanese and American culture is the fact
that Americans seem to have more respect for women, while Japanese society seems to struggle with
gender inequality.
Certainly, Americans value productivity and contributions from women in the workplace; however,
because they respect the rights of women, American institutions are likely to give women time away
from work for child birth, for instance. In Japan, though, the story is different. According to research
published in the Journal of Clinical Nursing, Japanese culture discriminates against female workers,
discouraging them from taking leaves of absence from work.
In America, except in the most extreme of cases, it would seem absurd to deny a woman the right to
stay at home with her newborn child; however, staying at work is more common in Japanese culture,
where, perhaps, there has not been progressive political reform encouraging society to consider the
rights of women.
The Individual in America and Japan
In addition to differences regarding gender, Japanese and American cultures also differ in the way
they view the individual. The United States is viewed as being an individualist culture, in which
people view themselves as separate from everyone else, striving to be the best that they can while
meeting individual goals. Japan, on the contrary, is a collectivist nation, in which people aim to be

helpful and benevolent, identifying themselves by the groups to which they belong, instead of by
individual values and characteristics.
In essence, the Japanese collectivist view encourages people to belong to groups and follow the
norms associated with such groups, differing form the American individualistic view in which
deviating from norms in more acceptable, as it allows one to express his or her unique
characteristics. In Japan, then, being unique and standing out would be frowned upon; whereas it is
commonplace in the United States.
With Americans preferring to be individualistic and the Japanese supporting a collectivist view, it is
obvious that there are differences between Japanese and American cultures and customs. The two
countries are not completely different, though, as both place a high value on popular culture,
especially that which has to do with entertainment, such as film and video. Such links between
differing cultures can help individuals from diverse groups to better understand the views of others,
making their values and customs seem more acceptable.
References
Konsky, C., Kapoor, S., Blue, J., Kang, J., & Baldwin, J. (2001). Individualist-collectivist values:
Caucasian, African-American, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and Korean cross-cultural study. World
Communication, 30(3-4), 81-102.
Mizuno-Lewis, S., & McAllister, M. (2008). Taking leave https://www.facebook.com/kurdishactor
from work: the impact of culture on Japanese female nurses. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 17(2), 274281.
Shamoon, D. (2010). Teaching Japanese popular culture. ASIANetwork Exchange, 17(2),9-22.
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