Could there be a relation between Greece and Japan? Back in history?

Question

My friend tells me that some Greek words resemble Japanese words but their pronounciation is a bit different!! And they have the same hair color don't they???

Answer 1

Greek belongs to the Latin family of languages. Japanese, as a language, is unique unto itself; there has been no successful attempt to link it to other language families (Altaic, Latin, etc). Second, they are two different racial groups, Greeks are Caucasians, while the Japanese are of the Mongoloid group.

Answer 2

As for the language, may be your friend is referring to foreign-derived words that are commonly used in Japanese. Numerous Portugese, Spanish, and Dutch words are used in Japanese because of centuries of trading relationships with these countries. May be some of these words resemble Greek words.

Answer 3

It might be coincidence, or perhaps a borrowing from a third-party language (or several). Perhaps the words in question are modern in origin. It's not very likely that the two had significant cultural contact when their languages were being developed.

As an interesting sidenote, the vowels of Japanese and of Spanish are roughly the same. That I presume is coincedence, but it goes along with the above.

Answer 4

No. Nothing similar at all in culture, language, ethnicity, thought etc etc. Ancient Greeks were blond or brown haired. Blue and green eyes especially Dorics. But many Mediterranean people’s were. Modern Greeks were raped and overrun by Turkish invasion which makes them darker. Like modern Spaniards. Japanese are descended from mainland Asians.

Answer 5

Yeah! But not a really significant one.
Our Species moved "up" from Africa, through Asia and even to Australia as early as 40,000 years ago.
Read "Guns, Germs, and Steel" if you're interested in current understandings in of the Human happenings.

Answer 6

no, not all japanese are blonde