What are the similarities and differences of Japan and USA?

Question

Geographically, demographically, culture, etc. Please give as much as you can :)

Answer 1

I see a lot of dissimilarities.

1. USA is nearly twenty times the land area of Japan. But the population is not in that proportion.

2. USA owes its civilizational underpinnings and culture to Europe. Japan is an Asian, Oriental society much in contrast.

3. Japan's prosperity is in its ant-like hardworking nature of the people. USA is anything but that.

4. USA is endowed with many natural resources in abundance, which is the cause for its prosperity and will continue in future too. Japan is scantily endowed with such things; yet by persevering and by dint of hardwork they built a huge export driven economy. It will continue to prosper for the same reason.  

5. Japanese society is like a monoculture. It is highly homogenous, where a non-Japanese sticks out like a sore thumb. USA is built up as a social group of immigrants; utterly heterogenous and every trait has (social or political) its root elsewhere, notwithstanding what her politicians crow about.

6. The very serious demanour of Japanese attitude in contrast to the   American attitude makes the latter almost frivolous. Or the American light-hearted attitude makes the Japanese attitude very grave in comparison.

And now the similarities:

1. Both are in the temperate zone, with the ocean current 'Kurosio' doing to Japan what 'Gulf stream' is doing to eastern sea-board of USA.

2. Both are acclaimed as rich nations, members of G-6 and what not. Both are knowledge driven societies with high premium placed on services like Medicine, Engineering, Science and Technology, which makes them role models for all (without exception) other countries. For a person with these skills who is made to feel welcomed, all national barriers or ethnic/Jingoistic perceptions melt away. Very few countries can boast of this national trait.

I am still unable to unravel as to what you intend to reveal. You can have such comparisons between any pair of countries, some of which evoke interest and response from the answerers. Yet, you can have such exercises like Chile vs. Iceland, India vs. San Marino or China vs. Saudi Arabia. But what is the purpose!

Answer 2

Both are islands. Except USA.

Both have English as their main language. Except Japan.

Neither of them are Russia.