If Japanese business men dance in New York, it should be like this...

What are the differences between American business style and Japanese business style?

1.      Clothing

Is it my prejudice that American people usually wear simple cloth at their office?  Because I do not often see my friends wear business suit. They usually ware like this picture.

             However, it was common to see that my Japanese friends wearing business suit. 

2.      After worked

American people go back to their home immediately after worked and they spend time for their family or friends.

Japanese go out with their boss or coworkers, 2 or 3 times a week. When my boss asks me to go out, I cannot say “no.” Even if I have other promise or I do not like to go… This is typical Japanese behavior. Our only choice of answer is “yes sir”.  Japanese believe that collective action is most important in the company (working society). 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDOPNLzEFH0

I imagine that if Japanese business men visit in New Yoke, they would move like this…. (as a working machines)

Do you know how to use Japanese toilet. I'm not joking!

So far, I have written about Japanese side what Japanese are surprisied by differenece from American things; however, I would like to introduce about American people side what they are surprised by Japanese things.

When I lived Japan, one of my American friends, who visited Japan first time, stayed my house couple of days. First day, I heard his yelling from the bathroom and he was soaked. Why? He tried useing the Washlet. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washlet

The toilet has so many buttons but, he could not read Japanese. He just pushed many buttons for shitting to the toilet seat. And one of the buttons was to wash your bottom automatically. The toilet bowl throw water on him.....  

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=veW2yRYBADY

 The other day, he did not come back over 30 from the comfort station. He was playing and taking photos. He was supplied by the toilet.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=km3xt49fHq4

 Now, you understand the reason why he did not come back, right?

If you use Japanese toilet, you might need to bring extra your closing because you will take my friend place…. Be careful!!

Can we measure our life style with the numbers?

Can we measure our life style with the numbers?

This time, I use the numbers to compare between Japanese life style and American life style. And it is easy to understand how difference between those life style.

Figures:

Male

The basic American:  Average of height 5.84 feet

                                       Average of weight 191.8 pounds

The basic Japanese:   Average of Height 5.57 feet

                                      Average of weight 143 pounds

Female

The basic American: Average of height 5.35 feet

                                     Average of weight 164.6 pounds

The basic Japanese:  Average of height 5.18 feet

                                     Average of weight  117.8 ponds

Why?

Average soft drink consumption

Japan:       22 liters/ a year

America:   216 liters/ a year (wow!)

Other difference is:

Median yearly income (after taxes)

Japan:      $21,760

America: $25,200

However……

Average daily TV time (advantage of American life)

Japan:      3.6 hours/ a day

America: 8.2 hours/ a day

Average alcohol consumption (advantage of American life)

Japan:      8.0 liters/ a year

America:  9.4 liters/ a year (“no drinking, no life!” ← it is quotation from my American friends’ expression)

Average medical expense (disadvantage of American life)

Japan:     $1,857

America: $4,938 (Ouch!!)

Moreover:

To have a part of housework:

Japan:    Women 83%

              Men 17%
(Do you want to marry Japanese men?)

American:   Women  58%

                     Men         42%

What do you think the numbers? Isn’t it interesting?

Cultures Can Affect a Person’s Character

Customs are different between Japanese and Americans. Americans are more open minded and friendlier. For instance, if in America people make eye contact, they usually smile and say “Hi” even if the person is a stranger.  And this may lead to small talk. I often see this situation at Starbucks. However, most Japanese are shy and bashful. When I made eye-contact with a woman the first time, I was in the U.S. She gave me a big smile and tried talking to me. I thought she was hitting on me, but it was definitely not the case!

(Now, I understand…… I was ready to sink into the ground…)

It is basically a collective action. Japanese think that living alone and showing their emotion to someone is shameful.  Being a cooperative person in a Japanese society is considered important.  However, American people believe that exchanging opinions is more important than remaining silent. It is interesting that cultures can affect a person’s character.

So, I think Japanese and Americans use social media in different ways because of customs. 

How the “shy Japanese are Using Social Media.”

http://blog.btrax.com/en/2011/12/26/how-the-shy-japanese-are-using-social-media/