# Japan or China: A Decision **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 2, 2009, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083 "2009-11-02T18:43:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sundrop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@Sundrop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sundrop)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/21 "2009-11-04T15:23:37Z")
> [@TokyoPlayer](#): > > I’m glad to hear you are really interested in the program. As I said earlier, I think either one would be good, so you really can’t lose. > > One thing to remember when hearing about about a foreign culture from someone from your own culture (such as hearing about Japan or China from a fellow American) is that it can be quite enlightening, but also don’t let it overly color your own experiences. > > In other words, if someone says “Chinese are like XX” or “Doing business with Japanese, XX,” etc., is useful, but there are 100+ million Japanese and a billion plus Chinese, so not everyone is going to be the same. > > However, it can sometimes be more instructive to hear how it is to do business with the natives from an expat than from a native. It’s really best to hear it from both, of course, but don’t be overly concerned if you are just getting Western companies the first go-around. Yeah, one of the things I’m hoping is that I’ll get to speak to both natives and expats. My understanding is that we’ll be interacting with both ex-pats and nationals. We have an info session this afternoon to find out more. ---
**Author:** ![chromaticity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/cc9497/32.png) [@chromaticity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chromaticity)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/22 "2009-11-04T15:26:21Z")
I have been on short trips to China(Beijing), but primarily stay in Japan. China is fun for a visit, lots of activity and things are constantly happening over there. I enjoyed my trip to the Great Wall, but it wasn’t as special as I imagined. Also as Nava said earlier, it seems like most companies in the itinerary are branch offices of MNCs. But, considering the home stay option in Japan, kinda nudges it over the line. Yamanashi is a very beautiful place to visit. Tsukiji is ok (There was talk of banning visitors but I don’t know how it panned out). The Sake company visit looks interesting! If you are visiting Japan in May, you can see cherry blossoms and the weather is absolutely lovely most days. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/23 "2009-11-04T16:28:15Z")
If future opportunities are any consideration, I would go to China. The growth potential of China’s economy is enormous. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/24 "2009-11-04T17:01:23Z")
> [@chromaticity](#): > > Tsukiji is ok (There was talk of banning visitors but I don’t know how it panned out). As far as I know, foreign visitors are banned from the Tuna auction only, not from the market entirely. ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/25 "2009-11-04T18:08:49Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Sorry if I misunderstood. China can be awesome and frankly MLS your tour was horribly organized and managed. I spent years backpacking around China back when it \*was \*a totalitarian socialist police state (1985-89). The economy has double twice since Tiananmen - it is a different place. Of course, all bets are off if you overtly fuck with the government but that’s pretty true in a lot of places. It’s an amazing country and a great place if you are a student of China. Of course the pollution sucks and there are a LOT of people. > > Alas after 20+ years I’ll probably be hanging up my chopsticks as the youngest China bambina has special needs that are not being met here. Actually, the tour was \*extremely \*well organized and managed, by a group that has been doing such things for decades in any obscure place that’s having a solar eclipse. All of the arrangements were very well planned, permissions had been received in writing from the Chinese government. There were also backup plans A, B, C and D, in case things went awry, which of course they did. The problem was that the Chinese authorities did not fulfill their own commitments. My remaining objections to China have primarily to do with other aspects of the society and the way it is run by those in power. The individual people we were permitted to interact with were of course just like people everywhere, but this was kept to a strict minimum. In contrast, when we were in Libya, we had several “on your own” opportunities, and found that the people were extremely welcoming and friendly, and we had very few restrictions. Which is not to say that Libya is not also an oppressive dictatorship or that I’d like to live there. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/26 "2009-11-04T19:12:13Z")
I was in China for maybe three weeks and that has been like six years ago. I was studying a company to gather data for a consulting job; my boss priced us out of the running but I fell in love with China and the Chinese people. Geographically I was confined pretty much to Beijing and Yuahan and I would do almost anything to get to go back. I have had several daydreams about retiring in China. Can you tell that I would pick China were I in your shoes. I think you would never regret it. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/27 "2009-11-04T20:35:55Z")
I’d go to China, simply because it’s an authoritarian Communist country and how many times in your life are you going to be able to experience a culture under conditions like that. I’m sure Japan has just as many touristy sites, but I think we in the West often underappreicate the freedoms and we take them for granted. I think seeing how people are living under a Communist regime would be interesting in itself ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/28 "2009-11-05T01:17:16Z")
That is an unusual situation, **MLS**. I spend almost every weekend and holiday travelling all over China, and I just buy a bus or train ticket like everyone else. Exactly once I came upon a hotel in a very small remote town that did not have the permit to accept foreigners. And of course when I traveled in Tibet I was kept on a pretty short leash (though I was certainly free to roam town and talk to people all I liked.) Other than that, there has been nothing different traveling in China than in any other country. As for interacting with every day people- thats what the Chinese government invited me to come here and do! > [@Markxxx](#): > > I’d go to China, simply because it’s an authoritarian Communist country and how many times in your life are you going to be able to experience a culture under conditions like that. I think you’d probably be disappointed. China is not North Korea. You are going to see more perfume ads than propaganda posters. The authoritarian factor is there, but it’s relatively subtle. A casual traveler would maybe have a couple brushes with it at most. Hell, I live here and it rarely comes up. ---
**Author:** ![Shot\_From\_Guns](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ccd318/32.png) [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/29 "2009-11-05T18:08:02Z")
> [@Markxxx](#): > > I think seeing how people are living under a Communist regime would be interesting in itself Great username/post combo, btw. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/30 "2009-11-05T18:49:53Z")
From a business education standpoint, I’d think China will be the better choice. China will almost certainly be a major area of development in the next couple of decades and a study tour there will look good on your resume. ---
**Author:** ![LouisB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/dfb087/32.png) [@LouisB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LouisB)\ **Post date:** [November 7, 2009, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083/31 "2009-11-07T00:41:31Z")
Hey, it just occurred to me that I’m going to be free of all restraints in about a month. If you need a full time servant / slave, I’ll work cheap; hell, pay my airfare and I’ll work for room and board. I’m old, harmless, and I don’t eat a lot so that’s an advantage; I’m deaf in one ear and there are pros and cons to that. If I take my glasses off, I won’t be able to see anything that’s going on and that can be a real advantage. I’ll do your housework, shine your shoes, wax your car if you have one—I’m really a good old dog, anxious to please and I’m a good companion and very congenial. Give it some thought. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-or-china-a-decision/516083.md?page=1)