Apart from being different races, both are damn similar, even in its history is damn similar.

Pretty much the same in size, population, wealth and everything else these days.

Which do you think is better?

For me, I'd say Japan, it seems to "export" culture. Germany currently doesnt do this.

What kind of culture is Japan exporting? And to whom?

But to answer your question, yes on economical and cultural grounds Japanese seems to exceed the Germans.

japan and germany....that's a tough one. During WWII it's Germany...now since Japan had a much longer time as a unified nation to develop than Germany which was split into East and West, probably Japan, at least economically. Militarily German probably have a better military capability at the moment although the Japanese can catch up anytime they want.

i pick Japan,, because they are asian..

日本は隷属のための女性を輸出している。冗談

hahah..

日本

er...you know Japanese? I though you're Chinese.


但為什麼?

It has to be japan, they are the second richest country by far, and their technology is top notch. Though culturally, i find japanese people a little twisted *bukkake*!

Me too, 日本
Both japanese and chinese characters are quite the same, the japanese adopted from the chinese.

Both countries have experienced an 'Economic Miracle' since WWII.

Germany has been a major player on the World stage, but the Cold War impeded some areas.
Japanese growth was unsurpassed until the recent slowdown.

Both countries are masters in technology e.g Siemens (Ger) and Toshiba (Jpn).
Also in automobile manufacturing Audi, VW, Mercedes-Benz & BMV (Ger) and Suzuki, Kawasaki & Toyota (Jpn).

I will go with Japan simply because I love certain aspects of their culture,

Obviously Japanese

Exports to Western countries, around Asia...where did you think the Japanese craze came from? Also Wapanese..

Only America and Japan is able to export "culture" so to speak. Kinda like exporting things "exclusively Japanese".

Germany kicks @$$ in engineering though. I reckon it takes the cake for higher end cars, trains and general utility type industries. Germany is better known for precision and sheer excellence, whilst Japan is generally better knwon for damn robustness and reliablity.

Im not sure how their machines stack up against Japanese ones though. Interesting to note they were once the "evils" of the respective continents and now have built themselves envious economies/countries.

I dont know about engineering.

I heard Germany and Japan are both working on Maglev technology and Japans seems to be better. And about cars? Mercendez ranks in something like 3-4 while Lexus ranks number one in overall customer satisfaction, Toyota makes damn good engines from what I hear.

I read on http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/

GERMANY

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/gm.html

Economy - overview:
Germany's affluent and technologically powerful economy- the fifth largest national economy in the world - has become one of the slowest growing economies in the entire euro zone, and a quick turnaround is not in the offing in the foreseeable future. Growth in 2001-03 fell short of 1%. The modernization and integration of the eastern German economy continues to be a costly long-term process, with annual transfers from west to east amounting to roughly $70 billion. Germany's ageing population, combined with high unemployment, has pushed social security outlays to a level exceeding contributions from workers. Structural rigidities in the labor market - including strict regulations on laying off workers and the setting of wages on a national basis - have made unemployment a chronic problem. Corporate restructuring and growing capital markets are setting the foundations that could allow Germany to meet the long-term challenges of European economic integration and globalization, particularly if labor market rigidities are further addressed. The government is also starting long-needed structural reforms designed to revitalize the country's economy. In the short run, however, the fall in government revenues and the rise in expenditures have raised the deficit above the EU's 3% debt limit.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $2.271 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: -0.1% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $27,600 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 1%
industry: 31%
services: 68% (2002 est.)

Exports: $696.9 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports:
$585 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

JAPAN

http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ja.html

Economy - overview:
Government-industry cooperation, a strong work ethic, mastery of high technology, and a comparatively small defense allocation (1% of GDP) helped Japan advance with extraordinary rapidity to the rank of second most technologically-powerful economy in the world after the US and third-largest economy after the US and China. One notable characteristic of the economy is the working together of manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors in closely-knit groups called keiretsu. A second basic feature has been the guarantee of lifetime employment for a substantial portion of the urban labor force. Both features are now eroding. Industry, the most important sector of the economy, is heavily dependent on imported raw materials and fuels. The much smaller agricultural sector is highly subsidized and protected, with crop yields among the highest in the world. Usually self-sufficient in rice, Japan must import about 50% of its requirements of other grain and fodder crops. Japan maintains one of the world's largest fishing fleets and accounts for nearly 15% of the global catch. For three decades overall real economic growth had been spectacular: a 10% average in the 1960s, a 5% average in the 1970s, and a 4% average in the 1980s. Growth slowed markedly in the 1990s, averaging just 1.7%, largely because of the after effects of overinvestment during the late 1980s and contractionary domestic policies intended to wring speculative excesses from the stock and real estate markets. Government efforts to revive economic growth have met with little success and were further hampered in 2000-2003 by the slowing of the US, European, and Asian economies. Japan's huge government debt, which is approaching 150% of GDP, and the ageing of the population are two major long-run problems. Robotics constitutes a key long-term economic strength with Japan possessing 410,000 of the world's 720,000 "working robots." Internal conflict over the proper way to reform the ailing banking system continues.

GDP: purchasing power parity - $3.567 trillion (2003 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 2.3% (2003 est.)

GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $28,000 (2003 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
agriculture: 1.3%
industry: 25.4%
services: 73.3% (2003 est.)

Exports:
$447.1 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

Imports:
$346.6 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)

probably Japan, theres really no question here