Japan and America each have their own value system that is of comparable interest in how it shapes society and patterns of interaction. While there are similarities between two-value systems, it is essential to understand key differences involving equality, respect, and communication style. Understanding the motivations behind behaviors will lead to successful intercultural interactions. Japanese society displays a basic gender stratification of society. Male dominance over female dominance helps sustain the norms and expectations of a gender-specific division of labor. Still prevalent and shaped by most families in Japan, is that the male is the typical wage earner "breadwinner" who only provides the economic means. Meanwhile, the female is the "shufu" or the wife of the house is responsible for the family, raising children and the well-being of her husband's parents. Male and female linguistic patterns further refine gender roles and the gender gap in all areas of society. Male speech is vulgar while female speech has more polite overtones. Although the institutions that prevent women from entering the workforce are changing, there is a stigma that a woman's career is terminated at age 25 and she is expected to return home married with 'shufu' responsibilities. “Career women” are marginalized by society because they have a higher status in terms of income or education for the sake of themselves. This contrasts with the American society of equality. Men and women are encouraged to pursue individual goals and aspirations as equal competitors. The transparency of institutions discourages discrimination and allows women to strive and advance in their careers in the major... middle of paper... pursuing happiness by being able to strive for individual achievements and desires. Many Americans will return to school to seek better skills or degrees to improve the opportunities available in life. Similarly in Japan, parents' expectations push their children into good primary schools, and later into crowded schools, to get ahead thanks to the exam culture. At an early age, these kids learn that self-improvement is the means to avoid marginalization, public and family shame. The fundamental difference between the American and Japanese value systems is the difference in individualistic and collectivist tendencies. Both Americans and Japanese see shared similarities in time orientation and self-improvement. Understanding the fundamental assumptions of each culture will improve cross-cultural interactions and promote global consciousness.