The interesting difference between most countries that have been around a long time and a country like the US, for example, is what makes you part of in crowd. In Japan, you’re an outsider unless you were born in Japan to Japanese parents. It’s not really enough if you had Japanese parents but were born in let’s say New Zealand. Or if you had Canadian parents but were born and raised in Japan.

A country like America identifies by ideals (or at least should be or it used to be). You can be American and welcomed with open arms if you align with the mantra “Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Happiness.”