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Countries and Their Culture

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1.0 Introduction

For this assignment, the countries that I have chosen are the United States of America (US) and Japan. I will be comparing their customs, beliefs, culture, values and legislations as well as how this affects an organization to carry out international business.

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you should introduce both countries

2.0 Comparison of customs

| |Country |
|Customs | |
| |United States |Japan |
|Table manners (Before meal) |Wet cloth for hand washing |Napkins placed on laps |
|Greetings |Handshake and hugging |Bow down |
|Tipping |Widely used |Not allowed |
|Eating utensils |Forks, knives, and spoons |Chopsticks and Chinese spoons |

In the US, napkins are provided usually in fancy restaurants or during a formal gathering. Napkins are unfolded and placed on one’s laps and it will be remained there until the meal is done, do not shake it open. Napkins are not supposed to use to clean cutleries or wipe any part of your body. At the end of the meal, napkins are placed semi-folded on the table, not twisted or crumpled and it must not be left on a chair. In Japan however, a wet cloth will be provided in most restaurants. The wet cloth is for washing your hands before eating, and carefully folded and placed it aside. It is not allowed to use it as a napkin or wiping any part of your body.

A formal way of greeting in the US is by handshakes, where you shake someone’s hand firmly. Additionally, a light friendly hug represents that you know the person well. A more casual way of greeting is my smiling and saying the phrase “Hi, how are you doing?” which is a common etiquette in the US. In Japan, bowing to someone to address them is an art. A friendly bow will just be a quick 30-degree bow. Whereas a formal office bow, especially to a superior, it will be a slow 70-degree bow. Additionally, a suffix of “san” or “sama” is attached to their last name shows respect to that person when addressing.

Tipping in the US is very common, especially in restaurants. Although tipping is not mandatory, it is highly expected according to the circumstances. Tipping happens when you receive good service from a person like a waiter. Many service employees are paid with low wage as the employer expects tips from customers. Some tips are however, mandatory and will be calculated in the bill automatically. In Japan, tipping is not allowed. In fact, some considered it as an insult. This is because any services that you asked for are already fully covered in the price, whether it is a taxi ride or dining in at a restaurant.

Eating utensils are different in both countries. The Americans usually use a fork and knife for their meal and spoons are for soup. The Americans have a specific utensil for a specific type of food such as a butter knife, a desert spoon and a tea spoon. In Japan, the people there are most commonly seen to be using chopsticks for their meals and Chinese spoons for drinking soup.

2.1 Comparison of beliefs

| |Country |
|Beliefs | |
| |United States |Japan |
|Religion |Christianity |Shinto and Buddhism |
| | |Shinto: Spirit awaits funeral rites |
|Death and afterlife |Heaven or Hell |Buddhism: Karma |

add two more points here

The main religion in the US would be Christianity where they belief the Son of God, Jesus is sent to save humanity. Christianity is also the world’s largest religion. In Japan, they have two main religions, Shinto and Buddhism. Shinto is the faith of Japanese people and it is as old as Japan itself. The “Shinto Gods” are called kami are the sacred spirits that take the form of natural occurring such as mountains, wind, rain, river, trees and fertility. Humans die and become kami and are respected as ancestral kami by their families. As for Buddhism, it spreaded into Japan during the 6th century. Buddhism offers the teaching of Buddha such as bring nice to people and about Karma.

In Christianity, it is believed that a person can go to heaven or hell in his/her afterlife based on their behavior in the present. People that are loyal to their religion and do good deeds are bound to go to heaven, while people that do the opposite will go to hell. For Shinto believers in Japan, when a person dies, their spirit, or reikon will enter an intermediary stage for where they await funeral rites to guide them and moving on to a permanent place. For Buddhism, it is about Karma, the type of afterlife he/she will enter is affected by their actions while still alive. Greedy people will reborn as hungry ghost. A festival will be held with prayers, offerings such as food and fake money, and entertainment will be carried out in hopes the hungry ghosts will leave their prisons on earth. Similar to the hungry ghost festival.

2.2 Comparison of culture

| |Country |
|Culture | |
| |USA |Japan |
|Food |Fast food |Sushi |
|Sports |Baseball |Sumo |
|Language |English |Japanese |
|Clothing |Shirts and pants |Kimono |

In the US, their main food consumed would be fast food such as burgers, sausages and fried chicken. There are many fast food outlets from the US such as McDonalds, KFC, Burger King and many more. In Japan, a common food there seen is sushi which is vinegar-ed rice with sea food and seaweed.

The national sport for the US would be baseball which consists of batting and running across the field. Sumo, a wrestling sport, is Japan’s national sport which originated to entertain the Shinto deities. Basically, two wrestlers will wrestle and the first person to exit the ring or touches the ground with any part of the body, aside from the feet will lose.

In terms of language, the US citizens take English as their official language and it is also an international language. The Japanese language is Japan’s national language and it is used as a medium of teaching and media..

As for clothing, the Americans are commonly seen casually to be in shirt and pants. In formal occasions, men can be seen wearing a Tuxedo and women wears formal blouse and skirt. In Japan, their traditional dress, Kimono can be seen in special occasions such as tea ceremonies, weddings, traditional events and even funerals. Men’s Kimono is usually reflected in dark colours as opposing to the beautiful designs of the females.

2.3 Comparison of values

| |Country |
|Values | |
| |USA |Japan |
|Education |Moderately emphasised |Largely emphasised |
|Elderly treatment |Retirement homes |Taken care by children |
|Child rearing |Independent |Dependence on the mother |
|Add more | | |

Education emphasis on both countries is different. The Americans do not stress much on the importance of homework and students spend their time after school on sports. With that American students will tend to go through their homework briefly without understanding in detail. As opposed to Japan, Japanese parents largely emphasise on academic superior. Japanese parents will choose to send their children to tuition class despite already attending regular school rather than extracurricular activities. The benefits of attending extracurricular activities make a child more rounded and socially developed.

Most Asian parents expect their children to take care of them when they are old, but not so many in the western. In the US, the elderly often live separated with their children. Some of them will move to retirement communities where they have extra living facilities and meet new people. In Japan, children are expected to take care of their parents when they are old, because they are the ones that brought and raise them up in this world.

Child rearing technique used by parents on both countries are different. The American parents promote more on independence. Children between the age of 18 and 21 will start living on their own and pursuing their dreams. From young, each child will have their own bedroom and they make their own choices when they are older, which probably under the parents guidance. In Japan, children bond more towards their mother. This is because the fathers will work for the family and sometimes the children do not see their father often. The mother will usually quit her job and stay at home for the children. She will usually feed them, choose and wear clothes and also discipline them. The children will also sleep in the same room with their parents or grandparents until the age of 12.

2.4 Comparison of legislation

|Legislation |Country |
| |USA |Japan |
|Legal drinking age |21 years old |20 years old |
|Road rules |Right-hand drive |Left-hand drive |
|Possessing of firearms |Allowed |Allowed |

Both the US and Japan allows the possessing of firearms but with slightly different laws. In the US, it is possible for one to lawfully acquire a firearm and ammunition without a licence. The US laws also do not require an official register for the record of the activity of the firearm such as, acquiring, possession and transferring. In Japan, it is all the opposite. The laws of Japan only allow the possession and transferring of firearms to licenced owners only. They also require an official record on all firearm activity carried out from the owner. The US firearm market allows the trading of guns of all types such as hand guns, shotguns, and rifles, while Japan limits it only into shotguns and air rifles. In the year 2008, weapon related homicides in the US were 12,000 while Japan had only 11.

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