In Japanese culture, not fitting into your place in society is considered anti-social. They place a lot more importance on the group over the individual - hence the emphasis on conformity, the hiding of your true emotions, the insane work culture, etc. Their idea of the "welfare of society" is a lot different than that in the west.
It has its benefits, of course. Japan is probably the cleanest place in the world. There's a lot less crime. I've rarely met a Japanese person who was less than polite to strangers. But for those that don't fit in or can't keep up with the expectations of society, well... there's a reason Japan has such a high suicide rate.