Are Germany and Japan very similar?

Japan and Germany are both axis countries of the Second World War and the main initiators of the war, while Germany is the initiator of the two world wars. The author was sent to Japan and Germany to do news work respectively. Because of this experience, it is inevitable to make some comparisons between the two countries in the letter.

There are many similarities between Japanese and Germans in national spirit and national character: both countries are mono-national countries, and both have a long tradition of feudal autocracy and monarchy. Germany is located in the center of Europe, but its cultural development is unique and hardly influenced by Greek and Roman culture. Germans' spiritual alienation from Europe has a long history. German writer thomas mann once asserted that Germany "will always be the spiritual battlefield of Europe". Under the strong irradiation of European civilization, Germans have a sense of humiliation, but Germans who are good at spiritual exploration are confident that their quality is not worse than others. National inferiority and national arrogance are intertwined, and it is easy to move towards extremely narrow nationalism. On the Rhine River in koblenz, the author saw the statue of frederick the great reconstructed after German unification. In a conversation with an old German lady, when she talked about the Hamburg bombing, she inadvertently said, "We were defeated, but we stood up again. We did as well as others, and now we live as well as others. " The author thinks that the problem of national cultural psychological accumulation can not be completely solved by the victory or defeat of the war.

Historically, Japan was greatly influenced by China culture in the prosperous Tang Dynasty, and developed historical traditions such as Imperial Taoism and Bushido in the island country environment. Zhou Ming, a Japanese nationalist, once said that Japan has integrated and preserved the Asian culture represented by Confucianism and Buddhism. "The unique imperial system, lofty self-esteem that has never been invaded by foreign countries and the geographical location that is convenient for preserving the thoughts and feelings of ancestors" make Japan suitable to act as the protector of Asian thoughts and civilizations. The Japanese once accepted the ancient civilization of China and turned it into a part of their own cultural tradition. In the minds of many Japanese, reverence for China's ancient civilization and contempt for modern China coexist. The Japanese have learned to accept European civilization, but subconscious dissatisfaction has always existed.

Both Japan and Germany are full of discipline, obedience and team spirit. Their values and morals are simple and clear, and the society is hierarchical. These factors make the two societies easy to organize and the cost of social operation is low. However, the above factors have also brought about problems such as low personal creativity and insufficient social flexibility.

Japanese and Germans believe in sincerity and admit "death". There are some veterans in Japan who used to be fanatical followers of militarism. Later, after receiving education in China, they became enthusiastic promoters of Japan-China friendship. At the same time, there are also some people who cannot turn the corner on the issue of war responsibility. Similarly, in Germany, those who admit the responsibility of war can kneel down as prime ministers in Poland to repent and apologize, while those who don't admit it are still circling in the old complex.

Germans have an abstract pursuit of Faust spirit and a "stormy tendency" in temperament. Although there is rationalism in the history of German culture, anti-rationalism often rises. In the Nibelungen Museum in Bonn, you can feel a sad mysticism from the paintings and music there.

Japanese people have a constant sense of abuse and yearning for tragic aesthetics (Yukio Mishima's works and the worship of cherry blossoms all show this feature). The Japanese value honor and despise life and death. To this day, it is common to apologize for the dead.

Both Japan and Germany lack a "full sense of security", which makes the behavior of these two peoples "sometimes manifest as … endless dissatisfaction and unhappiness, which can only be calmed down through work". Both ethnic groups tend to stick to details and are naturally worried. The gentleness and rules of a small area go hand in hand with the rage of a large area from time to time.