Blood Type

When you first meet Japanese, it would be highly likely that you are asked your age (see Age Conscious Society) and graduating (or current) school.  But above all, you would be asked your blood type, maybe at first.

I have ever heard from my American friend that horoscopes are so believed by American people and might be equivalent to blood type in Japan.  Horoscopes are not so believed in Japan, at least not as much as blood type is, although some morning TV programs provide horoscopes for the day every morning.

I will tell you that if you and your first meeting Japanese friend (particularly girl) come up to a moment of silence without any subjects to talk, the Japanese girl would ask your blood type.  I'm more than 90% sure about this.

With the three questions, i.e. age, school, and blood type, many Japanese try to assume yourself.  Yes, it's "Wow, scary" thing!

It should not sound right that many Japanese try to assume others with such surrounding things (i.e. age, school, blood type, and maybe a family lineage), rather than substance of the person (e.g. personality).  But it is current reality to the best of my knowledge.

Going back to the blood type thing, I confess that I am also a strong believer of the blood type analysis.

I will discuss about human's characters assumed from each blood type category below.  You feel free to leave now if you are not interested in (I know you will stay, please.).

A type: organized, meticulous, punctuate, sensitive
B type: unique, not care much about established rules
O type: easy-going, ambitious, realistic
AB type: artistic, not care much about others

Don't over trust the above as these are just my personal views, which are not necessarily apply to others.

I remember that around 60% of Japanese people are A type, while more than 80% of American are O type.  I think my images of Japanese and American seem match to general characteristics in the blood type categories, respectively (i.e. Japanese are generally serious and American are open-minded.).  Again, this is simply my own observation based on my experience, so do not over rely on.  But I just want to point out the fact that many Japanese people try to know the other's blood type since they believe the blood type should be one of important factors to understand the other.

Believe or not, when I was working at a public accounting firm, I heard that a head of the department, which I belonged to, tried to recruit a B blood type person, as many of people in the department at the time were A blood type (yes, meticulous!), and different type of members were necessary from a management' point of view.  Well, I did not directly ask him whether or not this was true, however, I think it could happen (Of course, the blood type should have been merely one factor to be taken into account by him, even though the above was true).

I will tell you that I hardly tell my blood type when asked, as I do not feel it comfortable that I am assumed in that simply way.  Accordingly, I am not telling you my blood type here, either ☺
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