I hope you read this.

It is kind of strange and exciting to see a japanese WoW player in here. I was writing a big post to answer all of your answers in detail about the cultural shock you had. Got so freaking upset when I finished to type because your thread got locked before I could press the Post button.

In case it wasn't clear why your thread got locked it's because you started a very touchy subject, it's kind of a taboo topic. You being from Japan I guess it's understandable that you are not well versed in our history.
Indeed it sounded kind of a silly/innocent question you made and the pics of japanese cosplaying with those uniforms are obviously a fashion statement. They don't seem to have a clue how serious this is in Europe.

I can't continue the topic you started so I'll just go ahead and start a new one with a few questions of my own about Japan.

-How do japanese stereotype europeans?
-Which places of Japan would you reccomend for me to visit?
-Tell me about the vending machines that sells used schoolgirl panties
-Is it true some people make a living only with cosplay?
-What's with the high suicide rate?
-I thought Japan wasn't supposed to have an army

oh, about the mosaic explanation on porn magazines... that got to be the best idea EVER! Only in Japan rofl

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Q u o t e:
How europeans see Japan and how are we stereotyped?

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- the nerdiest people on the planet
- samurais, ninjas and martial artists
- always carrying a camera when outside of their island. And they take pictures of the most uninteresting things too

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Q u o t e:
Learning a foreign language helps you grasp a more technical understanding of your own language. Most people have an intuitive understanding of their language and don't think much about how they use it, but learning a language so drastically different from Japanese, like english, will shed new light on how Japanese works.

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This is very true.

Additionally, when you are learning a language that is grammatically and syntactically different than your own, you come to understand how mistakes made by native speakers of the language in question come into existence when attempting to speak your language, since a lot of them are syntactical and literal translations from their language to yours -- and thus, you understand more what they are saying despite their linguistic shortcomings.

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Q u o t e:
I did some Japanese classes (have forgotten most of it), but I really liked the logic of Japanese. Simple sentences and particles are pretty straightforward. However it's when you start making more complex sentences that the syntax relative to English is almost totally back to front and upside down. Still, great language.

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My favourite part of looking at Japanese as a non speaker was when trying to figure out how to count (stuff). ;)

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Q u o t e:
You guys should learn finnish or russian :)

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Actually, my mum is half Finnish, and speaks it with her Finnish mom; I gave up on ever learning that language already as a kid. Too big of a distance on the Indo-European language tree for me to put the effort into - especially as learning the language would have no other merit than being able to say "Yeah, I also speak Finnish!" for me :(

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Q u o t e:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNCsVts-G_4&fmt=18

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Oh my... rofl.

That video never ceases to amuse me ;)

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Q u o t e:

But that was kinda what you said earlier about learning new language that is different than what you know no?
Dont you visit your finnish relatives then, would be easier to speak with them i reckon. Most older people in here have horrible english accent (not that mine is good though).

I should start learning Spanish, always liked it but i am so lazy :)

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Well, you kind of have a point, and kind of don't. Let me explain;

Regarding the point I made about syntactical and grammatical differences - and the mistakes that can be born from them, it is not something that solely persists in vastly different languages, but something you'll find even as close as between the Romance languages and the Germanic languages. Allow me to give you an example:

Take French and English, as an example, where if you listen to a French person speak poor English it will often be with the wrong tenses and somewhat weird order of words. If you listen to an English person speak poor French, it will be often be completely wrong syntax and order of the words but may or may not be in the correct tense.

Now with that said, my sentiments about learning Finnish was merely that it serves no ulterior purpose (for me) other than learning 'another language'. I (unfortunately) don't have much left in terms of relatives in Finland; and the ones that still are around aren't ones that I have ever had much if any contact with. Japanese, on the other hand, is something that I'd have at least somewhat of a use for when watching or reading Japanese fiction, or when visiting friends who happen to reside in the land of the rising sun -- just to name a few uses.