One of the most critical elements distinguishing the perceptions of people around the world is culture, and its comparison between Japan and Germany can shed light on the way views are formed. It is to be performed with regard to the activity of citizens, linked to traditions and their inner guidance. Hence, the cultural differences between Japan and Germany can be revealed by limiting research to examining the work-family balance and traditional values, and these two aspects discussed consecutively, will be the main focus of the paper.
The first aspect of the matter is people’s activity in Japan and Germany within businesses as determined by culture and their habits and preferences in terms of distinguishing their work time and families. In this respect, the situation in these two countries can be analyzed by using the criteria of particular challenges for men and women, reflected by cultural specificities and their opportunities in this area. Thus, in both Japan and Germany, particular attention is paid to the employment of men and women to meet their children’s needs without neglecting the positions of either of them in this sphere (Ezawa, 2020; Bellmann & Hübler, 2020). In the former case, it is presented by the reported importance of work for all family members as opposed to the previously existing tendencies of prevailing men’s employment with their neglect of child rearing (Ezawa, 2020). For the latter, the necessity to work from home while taking care of kids related to both female and male workers explains the equality of their needs (Bellmann & Hübler, 2020). Hence, despite varying conditions for men and women, all people recognize the importance of combining employment and children.
Nevertheless, challenges faced by the people in Japan and Germany can be distinguished by gender and, therefore, are completely different. In the former country, the most interesting cultural phenomenon is the large numbers of the so-called ikumen or “child caring men,” who take their offspring everywhere with them (Ishii-Kuntz, 2019, p. 177). It stems from the beginning of the government’s campaign, designed by the activists concerned about the neglect of children by their fathers (Ishii-Kuntz, 2019). Its uniqueness is in the way it regulates the time spent with kids by both parents. On the contrary, in Germany, traditional hardships in this regard are determined not by relationships within families but by money since lone mothers are the most vulnerable population group (Hohnerlein, 2019). Considering these circumstances, the situation in Japan seems more favorable since not only finances but also new generations’ psychological health is addressed.
The second aspect, allowing to compare the cultural characteristics of Japan and Germany, is traditional values since they guide the development of all areas of life in the respective countries. For both Japan and Germany, they are primarily presented by the importance of specific freedoms and the respect for human rights, which determine the similarities between them. In this case, the criteria for comparison are the above two provisions. As follows from the article published by Matsui (2018), Japanese culture implied the need for a high degree of autonomy when managing the country’s affairs and people’s lives when adopting the Constitution. The same applies to Germany since the interests of its citizens are a priority for the government, and they can be respected only if they are provided with the freedom to decide for themselves (Ditlmann& Kopf-Beck, 2019). Since the Japanese resentment for outside changes and German willingness to make independent choices as well as both countries’ emphasis on human rights correlate, they are the main similarities between them.
The differences between the values in Japan and Germany are more critical for determining the varying perspectives on different matters. The criteria for comparison include the orientation on short-term and long-term shifts and the connection between people’s identity and their choices in life. For instance, in Japan, individuals recognize the importance of ethical decisions in all spheres as they are guided by particular concepts (The Government of Japan, 2022). They include mottainai, which means “using what is available so that it is not wasted,” and otagaisama or “helping each other in times of need” (The Government of Japan, 2022). In contrast to these provisions, Germans are more oriented towards safety and democracy, which means that their focus is limited to these ideas, whereas the respect for lasting changes is not ensured (Ditlmann& Kopf-Beck, 2019). In addition, their preferences include the decision-making process with a sole regard to nationalism, whereas for the Japanese, the outcomes for the environment equally matter (The Government of Japan, 2022; Ditlmann& Kopf-Beck, 2019). Therefore, it can be claimed that the course of Japan in principal initiatives is more culturally sustainable than that of Germany.
German and Japanese workers generally have different ways of approaching issues like customer service, communication, and work. While both countries are export manufacturers and have considerable engineering skills, particularly in the automobile industry, the nations are known to approach many cultural issues differently. Most Germans prefer leaving work at around 5 or 6 in the evening to go home and meet friends or have dinner with their families (Weidner, 2019). In this case, it demonstrates that Germans are more social and family-oriented people compared to the Japanese. On average, Germans are more direct and call things as they see them compared to the Japanese. Most of the time, Germans like sharing their ideas with other people. On the contrary, most Japanese feel that sharing their opinions with others is like having negative connotations. For example, debating or discussing business or politics with the Japanese is not usually possible. According to the Germans, making friends with the Japanese is pretty challenging because they seem to be a bit anti-social. On the other hand, Germans like having excellent results whenever they do something, whereas the Japanese like the process more. Therefore, Germans can have shortcuts to a problem to have a solution. For the Japanese, the process is as relevant as a result, and they will not have shortcuts to finish a job (Brückner et al., 2019). It demonstrates the Japanese are people who like excellent work and do not mind the process followed as long as they have valid results. Most Japanese have better customer service than Germans, who believe that a worker has equal rights to the client. In German culture, the customer may wait for them to be served, whereas, in Japanese culture, the customer is always right and needs to be served as fast as possible.
In conclusion, the comparison of Japan and Germany concerning their cultural characteristics showed that differences are more critical than similarities for determining governments’ and peoples’ views. In both countries, individuals are supported in employment since it is considered critical for the wellbeing of new generations and have respect for autonomy and freedoms. However, in Japan, the main focus is on improving the psychological health of families, whereas in Germany, people worry more about finances. Moreover, in the former country, it is common to think about long-term consequences, whereas for the latter, free expression and satisfaction of immediate needs prevail.
References
Bellmann, L., & Hübler, O. (2020). Working from home, job satisfaction and work–life balance–robust or heterogeneous links?International Journal of Manpower 42(3), 424-441. Web.
Brückner, S., Sato, Y., Kurabayashi, S., & Waraga, I. (2019). Exploring cultural differences in game reception: Jrpgs in Germany and Japan. Transactions of the Digital Games Research Association, 4(3). Web.
Ditlmann, R. K., & Kopf-Beck, J. (2019). The meaning of being German: An inductive approach to national identity.Journal of Social and Political Psychology, 7(1), 423-447. Web.
Ezawa, A. (2020). Family, inequality, and the work-life balance in contemporary Japan. In J. Coates, L. Fraser, & L. Pendleton (Eds.), The Routledge companion to gender and Japanese culture (pp. 106-114). Routledge.
Hohnerlein, E. M. (2019). Addressing poverty risks of lone mothers in Germany: Social law framework and labor market integration. In In U. Meier-Gräwe, M. Motozawa, & A. Schad-Seifert (Eds.), Family life in Japan and Germany (pp. 65-90). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
Ishii-Kuntz, M. (2019). Japanese child caring men (ikumen) and achieving work-life balance. In U. Meier-Gräwe, M. Motozawa, & A. Schad-Seifert (Eds.), Family life in Japan and Germany (pp. 177-198). Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden.
Matsui, S. (2018). Fundamental human rights and ‘traditional Japanese values’: Constitutional amendment and vision of the Japanese society. Asian Journal of Comparative Law, 13(1), 59-86. Web.
The Government of Japan. (2022). Ethical lifestyle movement rooted in traditional Japanese values. Web.
Weidner, H. (2019). Ups and downs in environmental policy: Japan and Germany in comparison.The Ecological Modernization Capacity of Japan and Germany, 25–40. Web.