As islanders, Britons and Japanese have had wary relations with – and often a superiority complex toward – their great continental neighbors, Europe and China, respectively. Both historically compensated for their isolation with strong central governments, powerful navies, dynamic entrepreneurship, vibrant culture, and imperial ambition.
也许地理决定了命运。作为岛国，英国和日本对于其大陆邻居欧洲和日本总是小心翼翼，且通常带有自负的优越感。历史上，为了补偿其孤立性，两国均存在强势中央政府、强大的海军、充满活力的企业家精神、生机勃勃的文化和帝国雄心。