Between Cultures

Western and Eastern

The Western Hemisphere includes Greenland , about half of Antarctica, and all of North and South America which includes the Caribbean
and Central America.

Eastern Hemisphere includes most of Africa, most of Europe, about half of Antarctica and all of Asia and Australia/Oceania.

We will do a comparative between two countries of Europe; UNITED KINGDOM AND CZECH REPUBLIC about the
aspects social, economic, political and religious.
United Kingdom like a demonstration of Western Culture and Czech Republic of Eastern Culture.

UNITED KINGDOM

JAPAN

Capital London

Capital Tokyo
SOCIAL ASPECT

The Brits tend not to use superlatives and may

not appear terribly animated when they speak.

You'll see that the British prefer to maintain a

few feet of distance between themselves and the
person to whom they are speaking.

There is a proper way to act in most situations

and the British are sticklers for adherence to protocol.

The British are a bit more contained in their

body language and hand gestures while speaking. They
are generally more distant and reserved. Most British
are masters of understatement and do not use effusive
language.

The handshake is the common form of

greeting.

The British might seem a little stiff and formal

at first.

Avoid prolonged eye contact as it makes

people feel uncomfortable.

They use their facial expression, tone of

voice and posture to tell how they feel.
It is considered disrespectful to stare into
another person's eyes, particularly those of a
person who is senior to you because of age or
status.
In crowded situations the Japanese avoid
eye contact to give themselves privacy.
Greetings in Japan are very formal.
You should wait to be introduced because
It can be seen as impolite to introduce yourself.
Foreigners are expected to shake hands
but the traditional form of greeting is the bow.
How far you bow depends upon your
relationship to the other person as well as the
situation. The deeper you bow, the more respect
you show.

Unlike many European cultures, the British

enjoy entertaining in people their homes.

If invited to a meal at a restaurant, the person

extending the invitation usually pays. Do not argue
about the check; simply reciprocate at a later time.

The Japanese are very conscious of age

and status.
Everyone has a distinct place in the
hierarchy.
The oldest person in a group is always
revered and honoured. In a social situation, they
will be served first and their drinks will be
poured for them.


It is illegal to discriminate against anybody
else because of their race, gender, sexuality or
disability. You can get into trouble if you insult anyone
for their race, or because they are homosexual, for
example.

The Japanese prefer to do business on the basis

of personal relationships.
One way to build and maintain relationships is
with greetings / seasonal cards.
It is important to be a good correspondent as the
Japanese hold this in high esteem.

Roughly 70% of adults live within an hour's

journey of their parents or grown-up children, and
nearly half see their mothers, fathers, adult children,
and best friends at least once a week.

70% of adults think that people should keep in

touch with close family members;

55 % think that they should keep in touch with

relatives such as uncles, aunts, and cousins;

60% say that they would rather spend time

with relatives than with friends;

and nearly 80% think relatives are more

important than friends.

Women who hold positions of responsibility in

the UK earn 22% less than their male counterparts
exercising the same job, as revealed by research
conducted by the National Management Salary Survey
(National Management Salary Survey). This is
equivalent to work for free for almost two hours a day.

If they invite you to eat dinner at their house:

You should remove your shoes before
entering and put on the slippers left at the
doorway.
Arrive on time.
Wait to be told where to sit.
Never point your chopsticks.
If you leave a small amount of rice in your
bowl, you will be given more. To signify that you
do not want more rice, finish everything in your
bowl.
It is acceptable to leave a small amount of
food on your plate when you have finished
eating.

Lilies, camellias or lotus blossoms are

associated with funerals. You should not give
flowers because of it.
You should give items in odd numbers, but
not 9.


Health-conscious parents opt for fruit over
juice drinks.

Coffeehouses replace pubs as social hubs for

Britons.

Motivated by health concerns, commuters turn

to cycling.

The ceremony of presenting the gift and

the way it is wrapped is as important
-sometimes more important than the gift itself-.
Gifts are given for many occasions.
Gifts are not opened when received.

London has some of the world's top museums

and art galleries, as well as leading orchestras, opera
and theatre companies.

Japanese is the sixth most spoken language in

the world.

ECONOMIC ASPECT
Britain has not adopted the Euro.

Japans currency: Yen

The pound sterling is the currency, and it is still being

debated whether the nation will join with the its European
Union partners and adopt the Euro.

1 Peso = 6.07 Yens

It has one of the largest economies in the world. Finance,

manufacturing, and trade form the base of the economy.

Export Partners:

The United Kingdom is one of the most industrialized

nations on earth and has a strong manufacturing base.

Export Commodities:

1 Dollar = 109.34 Yens

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

POLITICAL ASPECT

US 20.1%
China 17.5%
South Korea 7%
Taiwan 5.9%
Hong Kong 5.6%
Thailand 4.5%

motor vehicles 14.9%

Iron and steel products 5.4%
Semiconductors 5%
Auto parts 4.8%;

Government type: Constitutional Monarchy

Government
monarchy

type:

Parliamentary

constitutional

The Queen is officially head of state and has an active role

in Government. Britons are not citizens, but subjects of the
Queen.

Chief of state: Emperor AKIHITO (since 7 January 1989)

Each of the countries within the United Kingdom has its own
judicial system and courts.

National anthem: "Kimigayo" (The Emperor"s Reign)

RELIGIOUS ASPECT
Since the 1950s, church adherence has fallen dramatically,
and the British are generally uninterested in formal religious
practice.

36% of the population identifies with the

official Church of England;

10% with the Roman Catholic Church;

4% with Presbyterianism;

4% with Baptism and Methodism;

3% with other Protestant denominations,

4% with other religions.

4% describe themselves as Christians,

35% say that they have no religion.

.

Religions:

Shintoism 79.2%
Buddhism 66.8%
Christianity 1.5%
other 7.1%

total adherents exceeds 100% because many people

practice both Shintoism and Buddhism