Drinking as a means of socializing necessary in japan?

I'm really confused. i often chat with otherwise normal japanese people in voice chat, and many times they tell me they are drunk and that they love to drink because it helps them open up. Even girls drink, it's really strange for me because i don't drink and in america, many people don't resort to drinking( many do but many others don't)in order to be sucessful in society. these japanese told me that drinking for them is part of socializing.

How important is drinking really for the average japanese person( who is may be smart and health concious). Also notice i'm not talking about these people just drinking a cup or two.. they always end up drunk and come to chats drunk. i'm quite amazed. Can anyone explain to me why these people need drinking in their life?

In a relatively strict, group orientated society, being drunk is an excuse to be freer and more honest. Drunkards are highly tolerated overall compared to other countries, that bussinessman that just a few hours ago was a prim and proper dressed and composed loyal good worker is now a tipsy un-inhibited drunkard, no-one seems to mind.

Alcohol is the much needed excuse for Japanese to be blunter and freer with themselves and their voiced opinions then otherwise would be tolerated.

Us foreigners get away with always being like this without drink because were different and dont know better.

Drinking of course can help with inhibitions, and what Nurizeko wrote is correct for a lot of Japanese. Not all Japanese drink, in fact, a lot of them just don't take well to alcohol at all. They've got some allergy and/or an inability to process alcohol well.

You made the comment that the Japanese are more health conscious, the traditinal diet is quite healthy, but I don't think the diet was designed with health in mind. However, the younger generations have taken on an unhealthy diet, and were the current younger generations to continue indefintely with that diet, then the current projected life expectancy for them would be around 62.

There was an excelent article on Mizu Shoubai, or "the water trade", in an older issue of the Japanese language learning magazine, Mangajin... Imagine the day-to-day expectations of the Japanese male, for one example, I call my boss "Jim", not kacho-san... There is a strict office policy (one of the many reasons it is difficult for foreigners to break into Japanese business, for the believe of their inability to adhere to these unspoken rules), and believe it or not, there is sometimes an unspoken rule of outside fraternization amongst coworkers at places like yakitori & izakaya... Especially during a time when bonuses are handed out.

I know a lot of people around here have some ill-feelings about mizu-shoubai, but, just as there are many foreigners in Japan who feel isolated and ill-at ease with others, there are just as many Japanese who feel the same way--- For some, mizu-shoubai is simply a means of blowing off steam while in the company of attentive, cute, female servers... To others its a means of interacting with women in an environment that is pre-set to allow just that--- Drinking alcohol, and talking to women, even if your topic of discussion is less than lively.

Anyone who has been to mizu-shoubai will also know that it is nothing like a strip-club or "gentleman's club" as the euphemism goes... You might be ill at ease to learn that the girls themselves are often dressed as neko-chan cat girls, school girls, or sexy-police officers... but as I've said before, where you pay for fantasy, expect the status quo for those who pay to play.