Ti lascio un programmino di test a guida:
codice:
import java.text.*;
import java.util.*;


/**
 *
 * @author Andrea
 */
public class LocaleFormat {
    
    public static void main (String[] args) throws Exception {        
        Locale def = Locale.getDefault();
        System.out.println(def);
        SimpleDateFormat dbFormat = new SimpleDateFormat("yyyy-MM-dd");
        
        //test Locale
        Date d = new Date();
        Locale[] locale = new Locale[]{Locale.US, Locale.ITALY, Locale.JAPAN};
        String[] formattedDates = new String[locale.length];
        for (int i = 0; i < locale.length; i++) {
            SimpleDateFormat sdf = (SimpleDateFormat)DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, locale[i]);
            formattedDates[i] = sdf.format(d);
            System.out.println(sdf.format(d));
        }
        
        // parsing        
        System.out.println("___________\n\nLet's parse\n_____________");
        for (int i = 0; i < locale.length; i++) {
            SimpleDateFormat currFormatter = (SimpleDateFormat)DateFormat.getDateInstance(DateFormat.SHORT, locale[i]);            
            Date parsedDate = currFormatter.parse(formattedDates[i]);
            System.out.println(dbFormat.format(parsedDate));
        }
    }
    
}