> Yeah, I could sense there is something wrong with the article as soon as I got to the part where the Japanese were portrayed as this unique society where you need to say "excuse me" before approaching a stranger on the street asking for directions.

What that part of the article was trying to convey was that if you approach a Japanese person a bit sheepishly and looking confused, you'll get a much more enthusiastic response than if you directly approach and say "excuse me".

It's not unique to Japan, but it is different than a lot of places.