[woweoe]

I think this is more age related. I am actually in Japan currently and I can attest that no-one I know will drink daily like in Europe, possibly weekly but the weekly drinks tend to be far stronger and bigger. A European will have a couple of glasses of wine a day and go clubbing every week, Japanese on the other hand tend to only drink occasionally, attend one of the work parties at work with the older guys who don't want to go home - the idea of the older men who don't want to return to annoying homes is common even in Europe