Japanese can understand both worlds.

I started thinking recently that Japanese managed to become so successful because they can understand both East and West equally. 

Eastern and Western mentality is rather different. People might have a hard time understanding each other. So people who are able to bridge this gap can end up being very successful and profitable. 

May be that is the role Japan and Thailand play in the world. They can understand both western people and eastern people. Other Easterners possbily cannot understand West, while West in contrast cannot understand East.

However that can simply be, because Japanese are also somewhat in the middle between East and West culturally. Thus bost East and West can understand and relate to what they do. While they have hard time understanding and appealing to each other.

So what are your thoughts on that.