Japanese people may not mind rubbing shoulders and bumping elbows with strangers while they slurp their soup, but I like my experience when I eat out to be comfortable. Because of the high cost of space in Tokyo, it's not the least bit uncommon for restaurants to place people almost on top of each other to maximize occupancy within a limited space. This sometimes means you barely can move your chair without bumping the person behind you, and sometimes means that your nearest neighbor so encroaches into your space that you have to keep your elbows tucked in at all times.
I won't miss restaurants that seat people too close together rather than seat them at a proximity for comfort.
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