Did you know that Germany is called Japan in Europe? These two countries that have global economic power, why are they said to be similar? I tried to summarize what Germany is like in Japan and what it is not like in Japan.
Those similar to Japan
1. People respect time, promise, plan, rule
Ritual. Speaking of common words between the two countries, this is just one word. In other European countries, the clocks around the city stop, the train doesn’t come on time, and the promises are not kept. But in Germany it looks a little different and it’s solid. If you go on a trip with a German friend, you will understand the national character. If you eat rice together, it’s a good idea to split your bills, I don’t pay for it, and I don’t care about it. In addition, the next time to get here, you can get on this train when you get up, so you may only hear that it’s too normal for the Japanese to wake up, but it is normal for this Japanese It is no exaggeration to say that in Europe there is only Germany. Furthermore, I often hear that if you follow the rules, the number of people crossing in red is overwhelmingly small. Also, when I stayed at a Thai hotel, the outdoor pool closed at 7pm, but it was still in the atmosphere even at 8pm, so I didn’t disturb anyone quietly I was swimming. Then a German guest who passed by said that the pool had already closed. I was ignoring at first, but they had repeated many times that they thought I couldn’t hear. They don’t bother me at all, and it’s my responsibility if something happens, but it’s serious enough to pay attention to the rules.
2. Very powerful passport
Comparing the number of countries that can be entered without a visa, “passport power” surveyed by British companies in 2018, ranked first in Japan and Singapore in 180 countries. And second place is Germany. The contents of the examination include whether or not it is peaceful and reliable in addition to active investment and economic power in other countries. In 2017, Germany ranked first, and Japan and Germany have the same impression that they are trusted by the world.
Those NOT similar to Japan
Though Germany is kinda like Japan, it’s still different.
1. Being cute isn’t that important for women
In Germany, there is a high awareness of gender equality, so there is no such thing as a weak cute woman like Japan. There are very few women who walked around the city so that they look cute because they are wonderful women and not femininity = cute. Of course there are many beautiful women, but if there is a woman wearing high heels in a frilled skirt, it will be noticeable.
2. Overwork is pretty much non-existing
Although Germany and Japan are both economic powers, there are few people who work overtime in Germany because labor laws protect the rights of workers. Most shops close on Sundays, and if you work outside of the regular hours or on weekends, the salary is usually increased several times or a special allowance is paid. So the company doesn’t ask employees to work overtime to reduce the burden, and in Germany, where it is normal, most people leave the office immediately.
3. They don’t do anything without contracts
In Japan, people are expected to work without contracts just because there’s been relationship, trust… you might just start working just because it’s expected, on the other hand, in Germany, people don’t do that without contracts. It is a contract society. Even when I was working with a German customer, no matter how much I complained that I couldn’t meet the delivery date unless I proceeded quickly, no one would work until I signed the contract. .
4. Environment is more important than materials
Modern Japan has become materialism and profitism. Germany is also proud of its economical power, but it respect environment. For example, they abolish wrapping paper to protect the environment unlike Japan. In Germany, if you return your bottles, you might get your money back. Lights are relatively darker and Japanese might be surprised because it’s very different. but in Germany, which is also economically powerful, money is returned when wrapping paper is lost or plastic bottles are returned in order to value the environment. I live in Thailand, but when a friend from Germany comes to play, the first thing to say is that Thailand has so many plastic bags disposable.
They are alike, but very different countries
As I mentioned at the beginning, if you choose a country in Europe that resembles Japan, Germany is the right choice. However, if you look closely at Germany, it is actually the opposite of Japan. If you look at Italy, the gender inequality is similar to that of Japan. If you look at France, you like healthy food. You can find places similar to Japan or similar to Japan in countries other than Germany. However, in terms of the personality of Japanese and German people, it cannot be imitated by any other country and may be a remarkable country.
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