Over-simplifying it, Japan today remains hugely nationalistic/patriotic, albeit in a decidedly pacifist, non-aggressive sense (a legacy of the post-war constitution – although there are moves afoot to alter this), with a very strong sense of being different not just to their near neighbours, but to pretty much *everybody*.

As to which countries Japan identifies most closely with, it’s complicated.

The general feeling seems to be that the country is more “Western” than “Asian” – a legacy largely of the Meiji reforms (where most of the new systems were copied from Europe, with a French-trained military, German-inspired medical system (Japanese doctors write their notes in German to this day, obscure trivia-fans), British-inspired navy and parliament, and so on, with countless other elements taken from countless other countries. Since World War Two the country has also been under continual American occupation, and has found a ready market in the US for many of its products, so the US influence is naturally strong.

But at the same time, Japan is very much a Far Eastern culture, owing much to the legacy of its historic contact with near neighbours China and Korea (Japan’s relationship to Imperial China being much like Western Europe’s with ancient Greece and Rome).

The great thing about Japan is that despite its strongly nationalistic, island-nation sense of identity, the country has continually adopted useful traits from other peoples with which it has come into contact – first Chinese writing, philosophy and religion, later European military/governance styles, more recently American-style capitalism. In that respect – as in many others (the royal family, the dislike of its near neighbours, the sense of superiority, etc.) – Japan is very similar to Britain…

My work was about travlling throughout the EU, out of it and back in again. I spent vastly more time out of the UK than I did in the UK .
One aspect I liked about it was getting under the skin of a country – the way I was treated , and not because I was a tourist or EU official bringing pots of money into the country. I also saw racism in other countries and semi official harrasment.
You do seem lucky, living in other parts of the world and having dual passports. I notice you say Asia has diverse cultures. Do you think they beleive themselves a homogeanous group seperate to others in the world, or more attached to their nation ?
I agree that nationality is not about skin colour- in England/Britian . I think in other countries of Europe, like Germany, there is more emphasis on “blood” and ethnic lines . The British way can form new countries asyou`ve seen in Australia.

Nosemonkey,

I do know where your wife originates from. I`m glad she feels settled here. I may be wrong, but dont her fellow nationals feel more in common with Americans than say, Laotians ? Mainly due to trade ? It`s interesting what you say about foreigners in London . I beleive this as I see some similarities on transit routes through Europe.
When I mentioned about feeling drained, perhaps the difference is you are in contact with other middle class nationalities with a very good grasp of English, whereas I am dealing with working class and talking pigeon Deutche, French or something. I`m also not surprised if you holiday anywhere that you want to look at the local sites away from Brits, especially , as Insideur says, they might not be the type you would want to associate anywhere.

BTW gentlemen, you seem to have been born abroad, living abroad or are married to abroad. Do you consider yourselves the same or something different to the average Joe (sorry Joe – you`re special ) ?

My wife is not British, nor is she European, nor Caucasian, and English is not her first language. Neither of us find it draining to be in each other’s company – and she doesn’t find herself particularly gravitating towards people of her own nationality while abroad. (Though, interestingly, most of her friends in London are also foreigners without English as their first language – be they Romanian, Brazilian, Italian, Spanish, Greek, Chinese or whatever. Here the binding sense of identity is a negative one – *not* being native English speakers has drawn them together in a country of English-speakers.)

Personally I always tend to avoid fellow Brits when I’m overseas – and not just the loudmouth yobs. I get plenty of British culture when I’m in Britain – when abroad, I want to sample the culture of the place I’m visiting. Otherwise, what’s the point? I might as well stay at home and head down the pub.

And if I am drawn towards any people I meet while travelling, there is one general binding factor, and it’s nothing to do with nationality. I (largely unconsciously) tend to gravitate towards people who, like me, are middle-class.

In your line of work, you must have the opportunity to travel about Europe a fair bit. Do you mostly do UK routes, or also across the continent?

Don’t you feel a sense of common tradition and history when travelling across Europe?

I’ve lived in Asia, and I’ve lived in Europe. I love Asia, and it’s got an amazing history and rich, diverse cultures, but I always felt like an outsider living there.

It is not about skin colour, either. It’s about having some sort of connection. My wife is Afrikaans. She feels both European AND African. White South Africans have been living in Africa for centuries. There is a connection to the land.

I don’t have a connection with Asia, but I DO have many, many connections with Europe. Maybe, by inheriting family from Africa, I will also begin to feel a connection with Africa.

Heck, I was brought up in Australia as a boy. I still have an Australian passport, and I still feel a connection with Australia (though it’s pretty weak by now).

I feel each of these identities. Not all of them are equal, but they are all valid.

Joe

Nor would I wish to associate with hoodlums of whatever country ,and a Turkish driver is the only one I have done in convoy from Istanbul to London. It`s nice mixing with “People From Other Lands” (a geography book title in school) occasionally but notice how drained you are at the end of the day.
I`m not saying that the English/british are even a nicer set of people than anybody else,just different to other nationalities . But all things being equal, I said you would gravitate, not magnetically attach, to people of your own nation.

I am not seeking by any means to deny the emotional importance of national identity. Indeed, I explicitly acknowledged it in my comment. Many people feel they need a national identity, or at least feel that it gives them a foundation on whoch to build other identities.

But this is not the case for all by any means. Don’t forget that there are many “nations” in the world where “national” identity is every bit as arbitrary as European identity.

You are certainly wrong in my case about naturally gravitating to Brits when abroad. Put me on the Costa del Sol, where I went a few years ago, and I would rather have teeth pulled than gravitate to the Brits who are rampaging through the streets at midight, too drunk to stand. I’d much rather be sitting with a Spanish family sipping good Rioja.

Indeed I would hope for your sake that you don’t feel that your British identity trumps everything else in all cases.

The fact that an identity is “comes readily” doesn’t give it any intrinsically superior quality or value to the individual. If Arsenal support runs in the family but I really just like Chelsea better, I don’t give a hoot that the Arsenal identity “comes readily”.