The more you realize that for Japanese society, it's been the same as how it was since a long time. Zaibatus/Keiretsu is just a modern evolution of feudal era Daimyo/Samurai. As a rule of of thumb, they're trying to good for the masses but indeed they are (benevolent) dictator in some ways.

Seems like it's ok to let societies draw different boundaries around what the government's "job" is.

I think what mschuster91 is saying is that there are regulatory functions that, if an impartial government doesn't do it, will be done by big corporations in the space, or it's just a free-for-all where trolls roam free.

Exercise to the reader as to whether the EU, US or Japanese model is most effective.