Attitude

1. Formality & Informality

2. Conservatism
3. The love of nature

Introduction
People of every country in the world tend to be associated with certain typical
characteristics. It is commonly believed that people in the west side of the globe will
behave differently from people in the east. However, after learning about the British’s
stereotyped images, I found out that their attitudes are quite similar to those of the
Japanese in terms of reservedness, love of nature, and conservatism.

The UK Conservatism
The first thing the British and the Japanese have in common is their
conservatism. The British value continuity over modernity and have a general
sentimental attachedment to the past. For example, their Chirstmas cards usually
depict scenes from past centuries, and they like pubs that look old.

The Japanese Conservatism

Similarly, the Japanese are resistant to some aspects of modernization and
tend to stick to old-fashioned solutions. For instance, fax machines and floppy disks are
still widely used in Japan. Moreoever, the banking system in Japan is very inefficient.
Although they use computers all the time now, they still requires a ridiculous amount
of paperwork. Waiting times are long, and simple processes are actually complex.

The UK love of nature

The British also love nature as much as the Japanese. The British have an
idealized vision of the countryside. To them, the countryside represents peace and
quiet, beauty, good health and no crime. In addition, gardening is one of the most
popular in the UK. Even those unlucky people who do not have a garden can
participate. Each local authority owns several areas of land which it rents very cheaply
to these people in small parcels. On these allotments, people mainly grow vegetables.

The Japanese love of nature

Likewise, the Japanese also appreciate the beauty of nature. Cherry blossoms
viewing are one of the best examples of Japanese love for nature. Additionally, There
are Japanese gardens, bonsai, ikebana (flower arrangement), human attempts to
portray nature in miniature forms, in other words bringing nature into the house. Even
the fact that Ikebana looks natural is an indication that the Japanese love nature very
much. In Japan, nature means in Japan where the holy spirits reside, so they try to
establish good relations with nature by praying.

The UK’s shyness

The British and the Japanese are very reserved. The British reputation for
being reserved is not without merit. In the UK, when they meet someone for the first
time, a handshake is always preferable to a hug and a kiss on the cheek which are
reserved for close friends only. Asking personal questions about salary, relationship
status, weight or age (particularly in the case of more ‘mature’ ladies) is also not
appropriate.

The JP’s Reservedness.

Similarly, It is often said that Japanese people are very shy. From my
experience, when you ask the Japanese a question, they will just reply with one brief
sentence. They don’t explain, give examples or try to expand their idea. After that, they
will remain quiet until you ask them again. Furthermore, the Japanese generally do not
correct your faulty pronunciation or grammar when you are speaking Japanese
because they think it is rude to judge someone’s language skills. Also, the Japanese
don’t usually say what they really think. For example, when they tell you that your
Japanese is good, it doesn’t necessary mean that you are actually fluent. They just
want to give you a complement as an encouragement for your effort of speaking their
mother tongue.

Conclusion
In conclusion, the Japanese and the British attitudes are very much alike to
each other. It’s important to acknowledge that some countries may have similar
mannerisms so that we can appreciate their commonalities.